


Fear is the Price of Imagination

by xXPaintedSmilesXx



Category: Adam (2009), Charlie Countryman (2013), Hannibal (TV)
Genre: Adam Raki is 5, Alternate Universe, Angst, Asperger Syndrome, Autistic, Father is abusive, Implied Child Abuse, NO rape, Nigel and Hannibal are brothers, No Romance, No Sex, No Smut, No Underage Relationships between the main characters, Other, Will Graham and Adam Raki are brothers, Will Graham is 13, Young Adam Raki, Young Alana Bloom, Young Will Graham, no sexual relationships - Freeform, some pedophilia, they are also bogeymen
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-08-06
Updated: 2018-08-06
Packaged: 2019-06-22 14:26:21
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 9
Words: 27,305
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15583905
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/xXPaintedSmilesXx/pseuds/xXPaintedSmilesXx
Summary: A story of two strange brothers,One stranger than the other,Who befriends somethingthat is beyond strange.[ Bogeyman AU ]





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> This is my second fic I’m posting on here, though this one isn’t complete either — oops. I hope you enjoy.

07:45 a.m. — Beginning of School

It was cold when Will stepped into school. The students stared and seemed to go quiet. Will just scuffed and made his way to his first class, with one of his least favourite teachers. He was always the first one in the class, since he wasn't fond of interacting with the other students. He took his seat at in the middle of the class, at the desk that always had some notes on the table. Making fun of him. But Will always just threw them away.

Mr. Tobias Budge didn't turn at the incoming student. He already knew who it was. "Good morning, Mr. Graham."

Will threw away the papers, most just saying "Freak" and "Mute". He looked up to Mr. Budge and just nodded before returning to his seat, taking out his textbooks and homework for the class.

Tobias just rolled his eyes as he continued writing on the board for today's lesson.

The other kids began to walk in, all copying off each other's homework before they took a seat. Alana sat down in her seat next to Will, smiling gently, "'Morning, Will."

Will looked over and his lips quirked a bit. "Hello Alana," he said quietly before looking away again, rechecking his homework.

Alana looked over. "Hey Will, could I see your answers? I'm not to sure about my homework."

"I prefer to just check your answers for you," Will said with a conscious frown. "I'll tell what you did wrong, though," he added. Alana shrugged "Alright." She handed her homework to him.

After a few minutes of going over her work, he handed it back to her and told her she didn't get any wrong, at least, none of the answers seemed wrong. Alana smiled again. Her teeth were always so glittery, like porcelain. "Thanks Will."

Tobias finally turned after writing the instructions for the class on the bored. "Alright students, we have a busy day so we won't be grading homework, instead just turn it into the basket." 

Will smiled a bit. He hated giving his work to other students to grade, they never understood what he was trying to say, and mark the answers wrong when the answer was right. He stood up and made his way over to the basket.

He paused and chewed at his cheek. Will turned back to Alana. "Would you like me to turn in your paper for you?"Alana smiled sweetly again. Those teeth were truly blinding at times. "Thanks Will." She handed the paper to him.

Some of the students laughed and held their paper up. "Hey Will, wanna take mine?" One said. 

"Me too, Willy."

"Being a Good Samaritan, are we?"

Tobias didn't look over from his desk as he remarked, "Students, quiet your yapping and turn in the papers." 

Will frowned and clutched tight at his own paper, nonetheless, he went over to turn in his paper. 

Tobias nodded. "Good, now that that's out of the way, I have something very importang to tell you." He pointed to the board which had a chalk drawing of a Meteor shower.

"Tonight is the Geminids meteor shower. Does anyone know what this?"

Will nodded to himself, having seen it on the NASA channel that his little brother liked to watch. "Mr. Graham." Tobias spoke, "I saw your head nod, mind explaining to the class?"

Will nodded, but then stopped to clarify. "Yes, I mind," he said and put his head down.

Tobias scowled. "Fine, since nobody else has an answer, I'll tell you: The Geminids are a meteor shower caused by the object 3200 Phaethon, which is thought to be a Palladian asteroid with a "rock comet" orbit. This would make the Geminids, together with the Quadrantids, the only major meteor showers not originating from a comet. Fascinating isn't it? Any questions?" Tobias spoke putting his chalk down.

Will shook his head, and smiled, thinking about how his little brother looked when they explained the situation last night. His eyes glued to the television. Like a fire to the homeless man that lived under the bridge leading to the lake.

Tobias noticed Will's alien smile. "Mr. Graham, are you thinking of something more important than today's lesson?"

The boy looked up, his blue eyes no longer dazed. "What?" He said puzzled.

"You were shaking your head, Mr. Graham." Tobias spoke sternly.

"You asked if anyone had any questions, and I shook my head no," Will said as he pressed his hands flat onto the desk surface, liking how cold it felt on his clammy palms. "And I didn't hear what you had said afterwards, sir."

Mr. Budge nodded, not really caring to have heard the strange student's explanation in the first place. "Alright then. Now your probably all wondering where you can see the shower? Lucky for us, this time around, we will be able to see the shower from just looking out are windows."

Will would have to ask his father for permission to go outside at that night so he could let Adam see the meteors. He sighed and looked up at the board for the lesson, even if he had already learning this from his independent studying he does at home. Everything he learned in the classroom was all so simple, mundane, and irrelevant. Will especially hated school because he always had to walk to his next classroom, in crowded halls with loud people. All day, for five day out of the week. With the same loud people.  
___

3:35 p.m. — End of School

Will was the first to stand and exit his last class, and slipped quickly out of the building. He needed to get home, he had — Will looked down at his watch — twenty five minutes. "Crap," the boy muttered. They had let out late. He'd have to run.  
___

4:00 p.m. — At Home

Adam was just sitting in his room playing around with a model solar system with little faces, he giggled as he spun one of the planets.

Will closed the door a little too hard when he finally got home. His father called from the den. "William, is that you?" A Louisiana accent called. 

Will scowled and then sighed. "Yes sir," he replied in the same accent. "Is Adam back from daycare, sir?" He asked as he took of his coat.

"Yeah, he's in the room," his father replied. "Keep him quiet, he's been laughin' up a damn storm, I can't hear my shows."

"I will, sir." And he made his way upstairs, into his room.

Adam turned slowly. "Will! You're back!" His words slurred a bit, and he went off so fast his solor system almost fell to the ground but something put it back in it's standing state.

Will didn't notice, but when he looked, he saw the dart of the toy back onto the bed. "Yes, I'm back. How was daycare?" He asked calmly, not wanting to overwhelm the child. He placed down his book bag.

"It was too loud, I don't like it there." He frowned.

"I didn't like it when I used to go there either," Will said honestly and went to go to his bed. "Did you do your reading for today? Papa says you were playing too loudly in here." 

"Yes I did, but I read out loud today." He spoke, looking over at his books that were stacked neatly on the shelve just across from his bed — all chronological, colour coded, and in alphabetical order.

"Which one did you read?" Will asked and pulled one of the books from the stack. He had read all of them more than three times before, but that didn't stop him from reading them again. There was only about twenty books, all novels. Science fiction about aliens and deadly diseases. 

But there was one book Will knew Adam took a particular interest in. It was a non-fiction book that the woman at the daycare gave him. It was a book about one of NASA's missions'

Adam picked up the book from the middle of that stack, in the blue section. "This one from daycare, its about when the sovet union put a man on that moon!"

"You like that one a lot?" Will asked as he opened the Exorcist. It was a novel that he hadn't yet let Adam read. It's would be much overwhelming for him, due to his lack of comprehension when it came to fiction.

Adam nodded happily. "Yes! I really do!"

"That's good," Will hummed as he began to read. He had at least fifteen minutes before it was time for him to cook dinner. "What are you doing now, Adam?" He asked as he resumed where he had been reading the other night. 

"Drawing." He had a little yellow crayon in his hand, chiselled down to nearly an inch, and was colouring a picture of him and Will under a smiling sun.

Will smiled and heard the creak of their bedroom door. It was subtle and not too noticeable, but still present. It seemed to move again, not casually now. Just the wind, Will sighed to himself. Papa probably left the living room window open again.

He rolled his eyes and flipped to the next page he was reading before the timer on the nightstand beside his bed went off. 04:30 p.m. — Time to Cook. Will closed his book and shut off the alarm. "What do you want to eat tonight, Adam?"

Adam spoke almost robotically, "I only eat Macaroni and Cheese or Chicken with Broccoli."

"I know, Adam, but I'm asking which one you want to eat?" Will says as he goes over, crouching down to see what the child was drawing again. "Mac and cheese!" He spoke excitedly.

Will gave a curt nod and glanced at the picture one more time. "When you're done drawing, do you want me to hang it up with the others?"

"Yes please!"

Will smiled and stood, making his way out of the room and into the kitchen to prepare dinner.  
___

05:00 p.m - Dinner time

Will saw as his father shut off his television and came to sat at their small, square, wooden table for four. "I expect my plate to be here when I sit, William," he spat as he took a swing of the beer he had in his hand.

Will nodded. "Yes sir, I was jus bringin' now." He placed the plate in front of his father after turning off the oven.

His father looked up and saw that Adam's chair was empty. "Where's your brother?" The boy swallowed.

"I'll get him, sir," he said hastily and went down the hall. "Adam, It's five o'clock, you're macaroni is done—" he opened the door. 

Adam looked up from another drawing as his brother called. "Yes Will, I'm coming!" He got up, but there was something unnerving about the picture:

Now next to Adam was a tall figure with black clothing and a black hat.

Will sighed. He prayed a day like this would come. Imaginary friends. Will had some when he was his age. She was a woman he pretended to be his mom, and he'd see her in his dreams. He shook it off. Better now than later. 

Will pointed to the bathroom. "Go and wash your hands so you can eat; I'll make sure your food doesn't get cold." He made his way back to the kitchen-dining room.

"Bow your heads," Their father said when Will and Adam finally sat. Will did so and listened as the man said a simple grace before digging into his food. 

Their father wasn't a messy eater, but he made sure to finish everything on the plate. Children who waste food don't deserve to get dinner, he had said once.

Adam asked strangely, "Papa, can I get your lawnchair from outside?"

"Lawn chair? What for?" He asked as he took a swing of his beer. Adam spoke up simply, "For Ni-gel. He wants to sit with us." 

"Who the hell is Nigel?" Their father asked sternly as he placed down his fork.

Will swallowed. "Sir, I think it's his imaginary friend."

Their father frowned and cocked a brow. "You have an imaginary friend, Adam?"

"No, Ni-gel is real. Can't you see him t—" he suddenly stopped and looked up just beside him. "Oh . . . Nevermind, Ni-gel said only I can see him."

"Right," Their father scuffed. "And no, Adam, you're not gettin' my lawn chair from outside. I don't want ya talkin' about this Nigel fella at dinner time—now eat your food." He continued to eat his own food.

"But—" Adam stopped and looked up again. After a bit he nodded. "Alright. Ni-gel said he understands." Adam finally picked up his fork and started eating his meal, only one noddle at a time.

Will took a breath of relief. Last week, Adam wouldn't stop talking about something he had saw on the NASA channel, and their father had nearly yelled at him. No talkin' 'bout space at the table, Adam, I wanna eat in silence! He had said, rather loudly. Adam had only nodded and began to eat, knowing he liked quiet time too. But after dinner, Will let the child talk all he wanted about space when it was bath-time.

The man finished his plate and stood up, leaving his empty beer bottle to grab another from the icebox. "Fifteen minutes and it's T.V time."

T.V time meant he would let Adam and Will sit in living room with him and watch some of the shows with him for an hour. "Yessir," Will replied. Adam tugged on Will's sleeve. "Will, can you ask him if we can see the Meteor shower?"

The Meteor shower, Will had almost forgot. "Excuse me sir," Will called. 

"Yeah?"

"Adam and I wanted to go out onto the porch for T.V time," he said. "Cuz we wanted to watch the meteor shower they've been talkin' 'bout on the T.V and the radio."

It was silent for a moment, but their father replied, "Yeah, but for only my half of the hour, I don't want ya complainin' that you wanted to watch 'cuz you was busy watch the sky, ya hear?"

"Yessir," Will said. "Thank you." The first thirty minutes was when their father would watch what he wanted to watch, and the other thirty minutes was for he and Adam watch watch what they wanted. "Say thank you, Adam," Will urged.

"Thank you, Papa," Adam spoke innocently before he walked up the stairs very quickly and returned with a big black trench coat in his little arms.

Will furrowed his brows. "Where... where did you get that, Adam?" He asked as he collected the plates and placed them into the sink. "It was hanging in the closet," answered Adam, as if it was the most common thing in the world.

Will was swift with the washing of the the dishes; after drying his hands, he went over to Adam. "May I see the coat, Adam?" He asked. The brother complied, "Yes," and held it out to Will.

He took the coat into his arms and coughed a bit. It reeked of smoke. "And you said it was just in the closet?" Will asked as he glared down at the coat.

Adam nodded, "Yes."

"Adam, I don't want you to carry this around, the smell can get you sick," Will said as he looked outside, the smell still burning his nose. "Maybe we can let it hang outside till it's time to come back in, alright?"

"But it's Ni-gels. And Ni-gel really wanted to sit next to me for the Meteor shower." He whined.

"He'll be next to you, just on the clothes line," Will explained. On the porch, they had a bench swing, and next to the swing was a clothes line where he would hang some of the clothes to dry. "I don't want you to get sick, Adam." Adam agreed, finally, "Okay Will." He looked up. "Come on, Nigel." He started walking outside.

Will watched conspicuously as Adam went to the front door, seeing how he had left the it open very wide to let 'Nigel' out with him. He soon sighed and looked back down at the coat in his arm. It was a rather nice coat, but very old and tattered in some areas. It must've been from the people who lived in the house before them, given that Will didn't really check the closet too much because of how dusty it had been.

With the coat in his arms, Will made his way outside and over to the bench swing to hang it on the clothes line at the end of their wooden porch. 

Adam climbed up, having a bit of a hard time with his lanky form, but once on, he made himself busy, looking out at the midnight blue sky.

Taking a seat, Will offered his arms to his little brother so he could sit in his lap like he always did. He knew Adam liked the attention and being held, it always calmed him down, and Will liked knowing his little brother was safe. Adam smiled widely amd climbed up into Will's lap, snuggling his cheek into the oldest's chest.

Will rested his head against Adam's as he watched as the first streaks of light shot across the sky. "Look!" The older boy point up. Adam looked up, he gasped and started bouncing excitedly. "It's starting, Will! It's starting!"

"Shh," Will hushed as he looked through the window behind him where the living room was, and where their father was watching his shows. "Papa will get upset if you get too loud, O.K?" 

The little boy stilled for a moment. "Sorry." He looked out at the sky as more lights flashed by.

Will held the boy close, his arms slipping around his waist to keep him from bouncing again. "Will you tell me what a meteor is, Adam?"

Adam answered, much more enthusiastic, "A small body of matter from outer space that goes into the earth's atmosphere, becoming in-can-dee-cent as a result of friction and appearing as a streak of light."

"In-can-des-cent," Will pronounced as he rubbed at Adam's back. "Do you know what that means?"  

"It's when something is heated up and it produces light as a result. Doesn't your school teach you about meteors?"

"Yes, they do, but I wanted to hear you talk about them because I know how much you like to," Will replied calmly as he looked down at his brother. "Is there anything else you want to talk about, Adam?"

"Have you met Hannibal?" Adam asked, not even a moment later.

Will paused. "No. I haven't met anyone named Hannibal. . ."

"That's too bad, he's Ni-gel's brother, and he really wants to talk to you, but you don't believe in him so he's all alone," Adam explained again, looking over at the black coat.

Will tensed and looked over to the coat as well, catching glimpse of movement in the corner of his eye that made him shiver. "You know other people can't see your imaginary friends, right, Adam?"

"Ni-gel and Hannibal aren't imaginary Will. They're real." He smiled up at his brother. 

Will knew Adam would get upset if he kept denying the boy, so he just nodded. "Alright, Adam, let's look back at the meteors, O.K?"

Adam nodded and looked out again. He tilted his head slightly but kept his eyes on the meteors. "It's really pretty, right Ni-gel?" 

"Yeah, Adam, it really is."

Will froze. He heard that voice. It didn't sound too much like a voice, though, more like a whistle of the wind or the creak of the bench they swung on. But it was still there. He had been ready to reply the same thing, so perhaps he just thought he heard another voice say it. 

Will nodded. Yeah, that had to be it. But he still looked conscientiously over to the coat that flapped in the wind. It was just a coat.  
___

After their thirty minutes of T.V time, and an hour of play time, it was 08:00 p.m — Adam's bath-time. "O.K, go get your pyjamas and a towel, I'm setting up the tub."

Adam left with the command, and soon came back with star-and-comet patterned pyjamas, and a fluffy towel with ducks on it in his arms.

Will shut off the tub and moved so that Adam could climb in. "Tell me if it's too cold or too hot, O.K?" He slowly climbed into the tub at the request; he tried being steady but a bit of water splashed out.

"Are you good?" Will asked as he took the washcloth and applied some of Adam's favourite green apple scented body wash.

"Yes, I'm alright."

Will scrubbed his brother clean and placed a dollop of soap on his curls. "What else did you do at daycare today?" He asked.

"I played around with the blocks, and I drew more pictures," Adam answered.

"Did you behave with the teachers?" he hummed.

"Yes I did." He watched his hands as he bobbed them in and out of the water. 

Will nodded and soon washed the child's curls. "Do you want to play for a bit before I drain the water?"

Adam wasn't listening, still just watching his hands, slightly moving under the rolling water. "Adam, I asked you something," Will said as he poked at his little brother's shoulder.

Adam jolted a bit and looked up at Will, "Oh . . . No, I'm ready to get out."

"Alright, I'll be in the other room," He began to stand and dried his hands. "So call if you need anything, O.K?"

"Okay." Adam slowly climbed out of the tub and unplugged the drained the water.

Will closed the door a bit to give Adam his privacy as he walked back to his room. He climbed into bed and looked to his younger brother as he entered the room, dry and in his pyjamas. "Do you want me to read something or do you want to go straight to bed?" He yawned. Adam gasped happily, "Story! Story!"

"Shh, you know Papa is sleeping in the other room," Will warned and got up, making his way over to the Adam's bed, and sat on the edge.

"Oh sorry." He started chanting quietly, "Story, story!"

Will smiled and pulled up a small book of children stories that was also given to them by the day care and began to read until he saw how sleepy Adam was getting. He always got bored with trying to understand all the riddles and connotation.

Adam was fighting to keep his eyes open. "Please, read," he spoke flatly.

"You're tired, Adam," Will said as he closed the book, but kept his thumb to hold his place. "You should go to sleep."

Adam shook his head sleepily "No, no . . ." He was already drifting off, his heavy eyes finally closing.

Will sighed and placed the book away just before leaning down to kiss the top of Adam's head. "I love you," he says and stood up to go back to his bed, hissing quietly as his thigh bumped the edge of the mattress.

He pulled up his pyjamas and winced at the purple bruise there. It had been from a couple of days ago, when his father had shoved outside for talking back. And you can come back in when you learn to keep your damn mouth shut! And the back door slammed and locked.

Will bit his lip and looked over to Adam. He had been relieved when he found out the child had been in the room playing, never noticing what had happened. With that in mind, Will dropped his pant leg and climbed into bed.

Tomorrow's another day.


	2. Chapter 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Will visits Miss Bedelia Du Maurier.

Will bit his lip when he got to school. Today he had lunch right between his gym period. He hated these days because he would have to dress out, in shorts and t-shirts because they wouldn't let him wear sweatpants nor sweatshirts for the risks of dehydration and heat stroke — meaning that he would have to show off his battered, illy pale skin in front of all the other eighth grade boys.

And today was especially awful because not only was it gym day, which was every other school day, but it was Thursday, so he would have to make his weekly visit to the counsellor's office.  
___

Will was shoved a bit as he made his way through the lunch room. He even tried to quicken his pace, but inevitably almost bumped into Alana. He took a sharp breath before stumbling back. "I'm sorry..."

Alana turned and helped Will steady, though her hands didn't really touch him, merely hovered over his arms. "It's O.K., Will. Really, it's O.K."

"Please don't touch me—" Will gasped, his hands clenching at his sides. "I-... I have to go." He scurried passed her.

Alana watched him leave with an exasperated expression. "Will, wait—" But he was already gone, and she sighed in defeat.

Will sat just outside Miss Du Maurier's office for a few moments before stepping inside and taking a seat on the large black chair in front of her desk. Miss Bedelia Du Maurier looked up from the paperwork on her desk, combed a strand of her blonde hair behind her ear, and smiled gently. "Hello, Will. How have you been today?"

He tucked his knees to his chest and sighed. "The same," he replied, simple. 

The woman sighed, "Is that right? I've noticed your grades have been slipping a bit . . ."

"No they haven't," Will said puzzled. "I've finish all my homework and turn in all my assignments—" he paused, his eyes drifting to the corner of the room where Miss Du Maurier's supply closet was, and saw something dark move within the shadows behind the adjust door. 

"Hm, perhaps I checked the wrong file . . . Well, how has your homelife been? Anything better? Worse?"

Will didn't reply as his eyes began to unfocused, as if he was slipping from the current moment. What... what had he been doing? His legs began to feel cold and wet, and the sound of running water rang through his ears.

No, not here.

"Excuse me?" Will asked as his eyes refocused and he looked back to Miss Du Maurier.

"How has your home life been, Will?" She repeated.

"Um... the same." He swallowed thick and laid his chin onto his knees. "I've let Adam read more of the books we have, and... the daycare let him have a NASA book, so he's been reading that a lot."

"I'm not asking about Adam. I'm asking about you, Will," Bedelia enforced.

"He's been doing good, so I've been doing... better than terrible." His fingers traced along his calf, shivering at how cold they were, but he was used to it.

"In what way have you been doing 'Better than terrible?" She sat back in her chair and draped one of her legs elegantly over the other.

"I've been eating more because Adam saw me... making myself vomit. I told him why I was doing that and he said it scared him." Will's eyes shifted up to meet the counsellor's before quickly looking away. "I didn't want to scare him anymore..."

Bedelia smiled at that. "Is it hard? Holding yourself back from purging?"

Will was hesitant, but then shook his head. "I thought it was going to be, but I never want Adam to see like that again so..."

"I'm very happy with your progress, Will. Now then, has your father been kinder?"

"He's not mean," Will said, a little too defensive. The boy knew that others may think of what he was saying as denial, but it wasn't. He didn't think of his father as mean. He had reason behind his actions, but his actions weren't as restrained as they could be.

"Alright, has he been more reasonable as of late?"

"Yes... he hasn't hit me in almost a month," Will said and took a breath as his eyes darted to his bruise. She wasn't going to believe him with that clearly visible patch of blue and purple.

Bedelia eyed him, obviously suspicious, but she would let him have this. "That's good to know." She straightened out a couple more papers. "Well Will, is there anything else you need to tell me?"

"I'm still being picked on," he huffed. "Like I'm some dead animal; all the other kids, they're vultures... but Alana is still kind." His voice seemed a less restrained when he spoke Alana's name.

She nodded and actually wrote that down. "Have they been trying to hit you?"

"They push me around, and they still write their laconic insults on sticky notes and place them on my desk," Will shrugged. "But no, not any actual violence."

Another nod. "Will, if you know the names of any of the kids writing these notes, don't be afraid to tell me, alright?"

"No, I don't know their names. I don't care to know any of them." That wasn't completely true, because he did know some of them, but then tattling on some would become tattling on all, and that would increase the number of sticky notes of his desk.

"Very well. Is that all, Will? Anything else in your mind?"

"I'm hungry," Will said flatly as he felt his stomach grumble. It's not that he didn't want to eat, or that he didn't like the food, it was that he couldn't even stay in the lunch line to get his food; the other students would shove at him and make him spill the food.

The last time he got into the line is when Miss Du Maurier wasn't at school because she had went out or something, and he had no choice but to go to lunch. The main bullies, he couldn't remember their names, had come up to him and tripped Will, causing him to stumble and drop his tray.

He had a panic attack then — his whole body shaking and his breathing quick, having watched all the food splattered on the floor before him, and the sounds of the students laughing; Will could just hear his father's yelling. They called Bedelia and she had to drive back to the school.

"Go on ahead to lunch Will," Bedelia said kindly, as if ready to resolve their session for today. 

Will shook his head and sank into his chair. "I don't want to go into the lunch room, there are too many people..."

"How about you go get your tray, and come back in here to eat?"

"They'll bother me in line," Will said and his stomach rumbled again. "And make me drop my tray again..."

Bedelia thought for a moment. "Do you just wanna... Split my lunch? I don't want to trouble you, Will."

"I can't take your food," Will said. It was rude, and his father would never tolerate this kind of behaviour. Go get your damn lunch, you need to eat. You can't just starve yourself because some people piss you off, Will could hear his father say. He squeezed his eyes closed.

The woman sighed. "You can't just not eat, Will. We just talked about this. If you're running into this kind of problem why don't you just bring your own lunch?"

"Because all the food at home stays at home." It was also something his father would say.

Is there food at school? Yes. Then you eat what they give you, you understand? Yessir.

Bedelia shook her head now, a bit frustrated. "I don't know what you want me to do Will."

"I didn't ask for you to do anything, I'm just answering your questions." Will was the one who was a bit frustrated now. He didn't like coming into the counsellor's office, and he didn't like talking to other people about things like this, especially if they couldn't do anything anyway.

His eyes darted around the room. The colours were warm, but it didn't make Will feel any calmer. Except for when he spotted a stuffed animal at the corner of the room. It was a dog. He knew it was for if any of the incoming sixth graders who needed some calming, they could stay in that area of the office.

Will hadn't been paying attention when he stood up and went over to take a seat on the fluffy carpet, pulling the stuffed dog into his lap. 

"Will?" She spoke to get him to focus again.

He didn't know he had moved until his hand combed through the puppy's hair, realising it was much softer than he though it would be. Will could feel himself rise back up from his conscience, and furrowed his brows. Miss Du Maurier had spoke.

Will looked over his shoulder, the dog still in his lap. "Did you say something?"

"Yes I did, Will. Do you want me to go get a tray for you and bring it back here for you to eat?" She offered.

"Do you want to?" He asked and looked back to the stuffed animal he held.

"If it'll get you to eat, yes."

"Then yes, thank you," Will said quick and resumed petting the dog. What was so good about this dog?

Bedelia nodded and got up to go to the cafeteria. She returned with a tray of food for Will, setting it down in front of him. "There you go, Will."

Will thanked the woman again and took the juice carton first, even though he hated apple juice. Don't waste your food. Will stared longingly at the carton before opening it and chugging it down.

"I see you're quite comfortable with Winston." She sat down getting out her own lunch, eyeing the dog.

"Winston..." Will said quietly to himself as he placed the empty juice box back onto the tray. He then looked to see the school was serving a rather small, but foiled-wrapped, steaming, baked potato.

Will bit his lip. They had butter and bacon bits and grated cheese. But all that would make him full before he could eat the sides or even halfway finish it. The idea of having to eat all of it made him nauseous.

"Yes, that's what I named him." Bedelia spoke biting into her own sandwich, until she looked up. "What's wrong, Will? Do you not like today's food?"

"I don't think I'll be able to finish it," Will said. Perhaps if he only added the cheese and bacon bits, he wouldn't need the butter and he could finish. But the sides would still stuff him.

"That's alright Will, as long as you eat and... Keep it down." Bedelia said, clearing her throat a bit.

Will shook his head, and said to himself, mostly, "I shouldn't waste food..." 

"I'll eat whatever you don't," She tried assuring him.

Will bit his lips again before nodding and he began to eat, unwrapping the foil of his baked potatoes, and cut and stuffed it till it satisfied the boy. Bedelia smiled watching Will eat while she took a few more bites out of her sandwitch.

Fortunately, he finished his food; unfortunately, it was time to head back to gym. "Do I have to go back to class?" Will said as he dumped his empty tray.

"I'm afraid so, Will," Bedelia spoke, "If it were my choice I'd keep you longer."

Will nodded and looked longingly at the stuffed animal. "Could you please talk to the coach about letting me wear my sweatpants?" He asked as he scratch at the bruise on his thigh.

Bedelia's gaze landed on the bruise and she nodded. "Of course Will."

"Thank you," He said quietly, but the bell had rung just as he spoke, frowning out his thanks. Will just sighed and opened the door, slipping out, and he didn't look back as he made his way back to class.  
___

Will closed the front door and jogged to the bathroom. He didn't know Adam was already at home playing around with a toy rocketship he had when he dropped his book bag just outside the door and crouch in front of the toilet. He could feel everything from lunch slide up his throat, and it burned, making his eyes water. 

"Stop it, stop—" Will tried telling himself as he squeezed his eyes closed. He didn't want to do this. God, but it was coming up to quickly. Before he could stop himself, he vomited, not all of his food, though, only what hadn't fully digested yet.

Will fell back and shook his head, tears streaming down his cheeks. He sat there for several minutes, crying silently, before he flushed the toilet, brushed his teeth and washed his face.

Adam looked up, putting down his rocket and called, "Will? Are you okay?"

"Yeah, I'm... I'm fine," he sighed and walked out of the bathroom. "What do you want for dinner tonight?" Will asked as he leant against their bedroom doorframe.

"Chicken and Broccoli." He walked over to hug Will and nuzzled his chest, almost as if he knew what happened. But he remembered that Will didn't like him to worry about it, so he stayed silent.

Will reached down and pulled Adam into his arms, held him for a while as his nose burrowed into his shoulder. "Did I scare you...?"

Adam nodded. "You promised you wouldn't do that stuff anymore."

"I know I did, but I didn't do it on purpose," Will said as he brought him back into the room, and placed him down by his toys. "I just had too much to eat, you know how Papa says we have to finish all of our food..."

"It's still scary, Will." Tears formed in Adam's eyes.

Will sighed and kissed the top of his head. "I know, I'm sorry. I'm really trying Adam," his fingers reached up and wiped away his tears. "I'll let you sleep in my tonight, O.K?" Adam smiled happily. "I'd like that."

Will ran his hand through Adam's curls and smiled. "I know. Keep playing, I'm gonna go make dinner." He stood and went to check on the chick he left out to thaw.  
___

5:00 pm – Dinner time

It was the same routine as always. At four-fifty-nine Will's father would come out of the living room from reading his paper and at five o'clock he would be seated with a plate of food in front of him.

"Adam! Have you washed up, dinners ready!" Will called as he placed Adam's smaller plate in front of his seat and a glass of water. Adam ran into the kitchen sitting at the table. "Yes, I did." He answered Will.

Will sat down and closed his eyes as their father said grace, and then began to eat. Silence accompanied them that evening, and Will's father was standing in a hour to go back to the living room. Adam had finished everything on his plate and went to go put it up in the sink.

Will hadn't noticed at first, but when Adam had go to put his plate away for Will to wash, he didn't see the child holding that old coat anymore. Had he lost it? Was he over it? Will decided not to ask when he heard the rumbling of distant thunder coming from outside.

"Excuse me, sir," Will called from the kitchen. "Did you hear it was going to rain?"

His father groaned in annoyance and threw down his paper onto the side table next to his recliner. "Goddamnit. No, I did not."

Will nodded and kept quiet. His father was upset now because if it was a storm, he wouldn't be able to watch his shows. Better to not feed into his temper. 

Adam tugged on Will's sleeve. "Will, can we go to my room and play? I don't think we'll get to see T.V."

"After I wash up, O.K?" Will said as he turned on the sink. The thunder rumbled again. Adam hummed in sync and with his footsteps as he ran up to his bedroom. 

Before Will had finished rinsing the dishes, the lights in the kitchen flickered as the thunder grew louder and rain began to drum on the window. The boy sighed and placed away all the plates and utensils. He went into the living room and approached his father.

"Sir, would you like me to light the candles," Will asked with his hands holding each other behind his back.

His father looked up and sighed before waving the boy off. "Yeah, yeah, I think the power's gonna go off soon." Will nodded and walked back to the kitchen to grab the match and candles from under the sink.   
___

Adam was whimpering in his room as the thunder grew louder, holding the coat close to him as he tried drawing to put his mind at ease.

The lights shut off right as Will drew his first match. "Great," he sighed and ran the head across the side of the box, then hovered it over three of the candles he held.

When all the candles were lit, Will made his way back to his and his brother's room. He paused at the door when he saw Adam with the coat. The boy wrapped himself up in the coat. "Will, w-why did the storm have to make the p-power go off, I'm scared!"

Will went over and pulled Adam into his arms. "Shh, I got you," He whispered and sat on the floor, a candle in his hand. "Don't be scared, it's just rain, O.K?" He placed the candle down next to them and turned Adam so his back pressed again Will's chest.

"Ni-gel told me that too, b-but why does there have to be thunder? It's too loud and it hurts my ears." Adam shook and a thunder crack was heard causing Adam to yelp.

"Rain is part of the water cycle remember?" Will held his brother close. "It's precipitation, after the sun has evaporated water from the ground and has formed clouds. Do you know what thunder is?" He asked, trying to get Adam distracted so he wouldn't be so scared. "Thunder is caused by lightning, remember?" Will let his hands card through Adam's curls, petting him softly as he spoke. "When a lightning bolt travels from the cloud to the ground it actually opens up a little hole in the air, called a channel. Once the light is gone the air comes back in and creates a sound wave."

Adam nodded. "I-I know. Ni-gel told me to count the seconds between lightning and thunder so I know how many miles away it is."

He was about to tell Adam again that he was just imaginary, but Will paused. He had never told Adam anything about counting seconds between lighting and the thunder. "And... and you heard that from Nigel?"

"Yeah, he told me while you were downstairs. I got more scared when the lights went off so Ni-gel started singing an old song to me." 

"What song..." Will's body tensed.

"Ni-gel called it April Showers. When Ni-gel was my age and scared of storms he would sing to himself and then he wouldn't be scared anymore." He explained, actually much more calm than before.

"Adam, I think you're taking your imaginary friend too seriously," Will finally said and pulled Adam to face him. "Nigel is not real. He's something you made up so you don't feel as lonely."

Adam grew defensive, "He is real, Will," was all he said, pulling the coat tighter around him.

"Adam, It's O.K, you don't have to insist," Will combed a curl from his forehead. "I was just like you once. I had an imaginary friend, and I used to say she was real too. But she wasn't—"

Adam pulled away snapping "Ni-gel is real! Stop saying that! He's real!"

"Adam, don't yell—" Will said cautiously as his eyes darted to their bedroom door, and down the dark hall. Adam sniffled a bit and grew quiter "Why can't you believe he's real?" He pulled the coat closer, burying his nose into it.

The smell was still present. "Adam, I said you'd get sick if you kept that coat. It's still reeks of smoke—"

Adam wasn't listening, still staring down at the coat. Until he spoke, not relating to what Will said. "Ni-gel keeps me safe when you're gone."

"Adam, I don't want to hear you talking about Nigel anymore," Will said sternly, though he didn't mean to be. He soon sighed and looked back into the hall. His eyes caught a movement and he jumped back.

In the darkness, the bedroom door creaked and then slowly began to close. Will eyes widened and he reached for the candle. Just as he held the candle up to see the door, it clicked shut. In the time Will had been inspecting, Adam climbed into bed by himself, using the old coat as a security blanket of sorts.

The movement of his little brother sent his gaze back to his side, but as he turned, the candle blew out. 

Adam was gone, and had climbed up into the bed. There had been a quick shift. Like the room had become much bigger, but it sill made Will feel trapped. "A-Adam? Come back, p-please..."

Adam stayed silent — he always didn't talk to him when he was upset.

Will placed the candle away, and the smell of smoking had filled his nostrils again. He coughed, covering his mouth. The thunder cracked and lightening lit up the room for a split second. His bed was just to his left. Will swallowed and reached out, his hands gliding and tugging at his sheets.

As he continued, his eyes began to drift closed in exhaustion, and the thunder rolled quieter. Will didn't even know he was moving anymore till he felt the sheets being pulled up to drape over his body.

Will breathed as the lightening flashed and he could see the coat by Adam's side, but it looked bigger now. Full. Like it was being worn...

"Adam..." He began, but sleep had already taken ahold of him.


	3. Chapter 3

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Some Adam and Nigel bonding, featuring suspicious older brother, Will.

7:00 a.m. — The Next Morning

Adam woke up slowly, it was a cloudy day. He began to climb off the bed and yawned still hugging the coat close to him.

Will had already left with their father into town to help him with boat engines at the docks. He was very hesitant about leaving, he didn't want to leave Adam at home, not with his imagination running wild. But his father would never allow him to stay home on the weekend.

The boy had taken out the schedule and the list of chores and pinned it to the ice box with a magnet.

Adam walked down into the kitchen finding the list, still holding the coat close to his cheek.

The door to their room creaked open and there was footsteps echoing down the hall. Adam turned with the list in his hands. He peered out the kitchen trying to see whoever he heard.

The steps continued, until it came close to where the light from the kitchen touched the dark hall, and then they stopped. Adam stared for a bit and looked down at the coat.

The curtains for the windows all closed abruptly and all the lights shut off, leaving every room dark. The footsteps continued into the kitchen. Adam yelped a bit, hiding his face in the coat as the footsteps grew louder and louder. 

"Shh," came a voice and a dark shadow looked over the boy. It reached down and cupped Adam's face, pulling him up with a gentle tug to look up at his shadowed face.

Adam beamed happily and let out a little giggle, "Hi Ni-gel."

The shadow smiled and looked over to the papers posted on the ice box. He pointed, almost confused. He didn't speak though. "Those are my chores, I need to get them done before Papa and Will get home," Adam explained.

His eyes narrowed more, and the shadow covered most of the letter of a word to where it read "Y."

"Papa gets angry if I dont finish them, and when he's angry he hits Will... I don't want that to happen."

There was a sudden slam of a door and harsh scraping along the walls. The room became extremely cold and the lights flickered. The shadow called Nigel looked quickly to Adam and hovered close by. Adam hugged at his friend. "Ni-gel, w-what's going on?"

The noise stopped and a whisper like wind blew through the kitchen. "Hannibal... An-Angry Hannibal—" it echoed through out the house and then there was shushing. 

Adam whimpered as the shushing began and buried his face against Nigel's leg. Another shadow made its ways into the room, it's steps clicking against the wood floors. Nigel leant down and dissolved into the coat in Adam's arms.

"Don't... cry..." a voice said, calm and soothing, but it wasn't Nigel. The shushing began again.

Adam looked up a bit nervous. "A-Are you Hannibal?"

The shadow morphed, seeming to collect all the energy it emitted, and confined it to the figure of a man; he was still tall, with his skin still pitch black and tough like leather, and had hair that was slicked back in a way that looked like how men on the television wore it.

The entity nodded and crouched down in front of Adam, his eyes were just as dark as his skin, but they were soft, and caring. Adam smiled. "How come you never came out before?"

Hannibal looked up at the bulb on the ceilings, currently off, and it flickered. The entity flickered with it, appearing when the light was off and disappearing when it was on. 

Adam watched silently as Hannibal flickered. "I . . . I'm sorry, but I really need to do my chores now."

Hannibal shook his head as the light remained off. He pointed to the chores on the ice box, then back to himself, and he smiled kindly. Adam's eyes widened when he understood what Hannibal meant — he always seemed to understand he and Nigel. "Really?"

The entity nodded, but then brought his slender finger to his mouth, shushing Adam. Adam nodded. "I understand. I won't tell." 

Nigel appeared again and took Adam's hands, giving a glance to Hannibal in which the man smiled and faded away. The boy's entity lead him back to his room. "Play..." His voice whistled. Adam jumped up happily "Yeah! Play!"

Nigel smiled and faded back into the coat in Adam's arms. The light up toy planets began to spin slowly, Twinkle Twinkle Little Star chiming from it.  
___

The front door knob rattled as it open, and the lights flickered on just as Will's father walked in. It was 4:12 p.m. when they got home, so Will had more than an hour to cook.

His father walked in first and took his six pack from one of the grocery bags Will held as he went into the living room.

Will called out, "Adam! Did you finish all of your chores?" Adam called back, "Yes, I did."

"Did you read?" The boy placed down the bags onto the kitchen table. "If you didn't it's fine," he began to make his way upstairs, "I just want to know."

"No I didn't, I did my chores and then I played the rest of the day." Adam spoke.

"At the store, I couldn't find the same brand of macaroni as you always get," Will walked in and crossed his chest. "So I got the one that had the closest ingredients. Do you want to try it?" 

Adam shook his head. "N-no, it's not the same." 

"Are you sure? A lot of people who like the other brand also like this brand?" Will urged.

Adam spoke, "Um . . . O.K, then."

"O.K, I'm gonna make dinner now," Will walked off and heard the door to their room creak closed behind him. A shiver crawled down his spine and he closed his eyes.   
___

5:00 p.m. — Dinner

Will called Adam over after their father took his seat and began to eat. "If you don't like it, just tell me, you don't have to do anything else, O.K?"

Adam nodded as he started eating. Only a minute later he began gagging and looked up at Will "I-I don't like it, Will."

Will nodded and took the bowl, he was quite aware that Adam wouldn't have liked it, but it didn't hurt to try. With that in mind, Will had made sure to make only two bowls, one for his father and one for himself – because Adam wouldn't have liked it and Will would have taken it.

As a back up, Will warmed up some chicken and broccoli left overs and placed the plate in front of Adam.

Fortunately, their father stayed silent. It was Adam who didn't like it, and that was expected. He knows what Adam is like, just like Will. But if it had been Will who didn't accept the food, there would have definitely been a problem. Adam took up his fork and began eating the leftovers. "Thank you, Will."

Will nodded and went on with eating Adam's discarded meal. The hour passed and their father left to change into some clean pyjamas, leaving his clothes in the laundry basket. The boy sighed.

It was that time of the week. "Adam, it's your turn to wash the dishes. It's laundry day." Will's job was to wash clothes on Saturdays, and Adam's to wash the dishes. The reason being that Will had to hand wash the clothes because right after their mom left, the dryer broke, and soon after that, so did the washer. Will needed all the time he had to wash and hang the clothes.

"O.K. I'll get started right now." Adam had gotton on top of a little foot stool and turned on the sink, grabbing one plate at a time and scrubbing.

Will filled up the tub with water and gather some in a bucket, adding soap and fabric softener. He grabbed the wash board from under the bathroom sink and a scrubbing brush and began to dip a couple of articles of clothing at a time.  
___

There was a flickering of light just over the kitchen sink, and the water shut off. 

Adam tilted his head a bit, as he was only halfway through washing a dish. He hit at the faucet a couple times hoping the water would come on.

There was a tall figure reflected into the window in front of the boy, and the room became chilly. 

The boy looked up and put his palm against the window, recognizing the tall silhouette.

"Let... Me," A accent voice whispered as arms wrapped around the boy. Adam pointed down at the dishes to make sure he knew what the figure meant.

The reflection in the mirror nodded, and then another emerged from behind it. It was Nigel, who's arms were around Adam. "Hannibal... Hannibal cleans... Come," Nigel spoke as his arms pulled Adam close. "Play..."

Adam giggled happily, cuddling into Nigel's embrace. There was a hush as Nigel's trench coat engulfed the boy, then they disappeared. The sink switched back on, and the dishes clanked and clattered as they were wash with invisible hands.

Will heard Adam's little fit of laughter and he smiled, the gleeful sound giving him encouragement as he washed the clothes.  
___

The room was dark, with only the small lamp on the bedside table on to help Adam see when he was drawing. The entity emerged from the shadows under the bed he sat next to, and almost slithered next to him, growing tall by the boy's side. 

Adam held the drawing up "Do you like it?"

The lights flickered, twice for yes. And the room wasn't as cold. Adam picked up one of his crayons and looked up at Nigel. "Can you draw, Ni-gel?"

The lights flickered again, once for no, that he couldn't draw. But the figure took the crayon from the boy and sunk till he was just next to the colouring sheet of paper, and the crayon began to draw over it. Adam stared as Nigel worked reminding him. "Stay in the lines, Ni-gel."

There was a low chuckle that filled the room, and the crayon obeyed. It wasn't as neat as it could have been, but Nigel had coloured a blue dog. Adam smiled. "I'm gonna hang this up!" He grabbed some tape and started climbing his bed, putting the page against the wall and then kept it in place with the tape.  
___

Again — Adam's heavenly laughter. Will smiled and looked over to remaining clothes in the laundry basket. He was almost done. Will soon heard the sink shut off and there was the sound of footsteps coming down the hall. 

"Adam, are you finished washing already?" He called to his younger brother. Adam called, "Yes, i did! I'm in my room drawing!"

Will nodded as he continued to wash. His hands and arms sore from all the scrubbing. He stood up, hearing the footsteps again as he placed the wet clothes into another basket. He sighed. Adam.

As he took the heavy basket into his frail arms, a realisation hit him. Adam was in his room when he heard the footsteps the first time. Will's breath hitched in his throat and he heard Adam giggle again.

But the footsteps...

Will shook his head and conceal a gasp as he stepped outside into the hall. He hadn't know that he had shut his eyes until he opened them to see the light from kitchen that illuminated the front door at the end of the hall.

Nothing. It's nothing. Will took a breath and shuffled quickly to the door.

The entity that accompanied Adam reached down and took another crayon in his shadow hand, now colouring a planet. Adam spoke, "Do you know what planet that is, Ni-gel?"

The lights flickered: once for no. "That's saturn. It's the third planet from the Earth," the boy answered.

The lights shut off for a moment, and there was a shuffling and the scraping of crayon on paper. When the lights came back on, the paper nearest to Adam read: "I never finished primary school." Adam looked up. "Why not, Ni-gel?"

Lights off. Then on. "Either me or Hannibal. Hannibal was smarter than me. He belonged in school." 

"That's not fair. You should've gone Ni-gel." Adam defended, his tone more innocent than stern.

The entity rose up from behind Adam and pulled him into his lap, holding him close. He pointed to the paper where it read "smarter" and then pointed back to Adam. "You're smart too, Ni-gel." Adam smiled up at him, touching his cold cheek with his hand. Nigel shook his head, but leaned into his touch.  
___

When Will finished hanging up the wet clothes on the wire line, he dried his hands and began to make his way back inside. As he passed the kitchen, there was a flicker of a movement. He paused and looked into the kitchen.

"You done washin?" His father asked as he reached over to open the fridge.

"O-Oh, yessir," Will stammered and swallowed thickly. "They're hung up now."

"Good," The man grumbled and made his was passed the boy, and back into the living room to sit down.

Adam called down, "Will? Are you done? Can you come draw with me?"

"Yeah, I'm coming!" Will sighed and ran a cold hand through his hair. Though, just as he approached the door, Nigel slithered into the shadows, out of sight.

Will cringed as he enter their dark bedroom. "Why are you drawing with only the lamp on?" He asked and reached to flick on the rest of the lights. Nigel was gone now. Adam frowned watching the shadow disappear.

"Please turn the light off. I like it when its just the lamp," The younger boy spoke. 

"Adam, it's not good for your eyesight to colour in the dark," Will sighed as he climbed onto his bed and grabbed a book from the side table. Adam pouted. "I know. But I like it."

"I know you do," Will flipped through to the end of the book, which is where he had left off, "but it doesn't matter now because it's your bath time soon, so gather your pyjamas and your toys before I go and set up your bath."

Adam nodded a bit absentmindledy. He gathered up a couple toys and plain light blue pyjamas and waited in the bathroom.

Just after Adam left, the older boy closed his book and tossed it aside as he reached for the lamp. With a flick of the switch, the lights were off, and Will peered into the darkness. What was he looking for?  
___

9:00 p.m. — Bedtime.

Will had wrapped the towel around Adam's body and dried him before leaving him in the bathroom to put in his pyjamas. Adam soon came back, dressed, and yanked gently on Will's sleeve. "Can I sleep with you tonight, Will?"

Will didn't respond, only took his brother into his arms and brought him over to his bed, laying Adam down on the side closest to the lamp. Will walked around to the other side and climbed in. Adam cuddled close to Will when he slipped into the blankets, and yawned. He sighed and ran his hands over his younger brother's back, up to the nape of his neck where he played with his curls, and then closed his eyes. Will wasn't part of a very religious family, but tonight, the boy felt like praying.

Pray the shadow men away. 

"What's wrong, Will?" Adam spoke up, his cheek pressed to Will's chest.

"Nothing, Adam," The brother replied. "Just... thinking. There's no need for you to linger, go to sleep." He wet his lips and held Adam close.

The room didn't seem occupied when Will held his little brother; there was no company, just he and Adam, the way it was supposed to be. Will mouthed a small prayer to no one in particular, and soon fell asleep.


	4. Chapter 4

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Will is extra cautious about everything, while Hannibal begins to make his presence known.

Will had walked to school that day, like any other day, but ever since he had seen Adam laughing to himself in his room, about a man named Nigel, everything seemed to be. . . after him; the winds would whisper his name, the trees limbs would hang low, its fingers reaching for him. With every step he took, the gravel would crunch, but he could hear another pair of feet crunching just behind his own, mirroring his steps; walking behind him, walking with him.

He'd see his shadow move ahead of him, but when his eyes would focus, it would jump back. Will could feel a chill sizzle down down his skin, it'd crawled over his shoulders and wrapped around his neck, it would flick over his tongue and slither down his throat. He couldn't take it, there was something there, something following him everywhere he went. Will was scared every time he would blink, he could see a faint figure in the corner of his eyes; he was scared that if he closed his eyes for too long, the figure would grab him and take him away. The trees, the road, the air, the grey clouds in the blue sky: it all seemed fake.

How was he supposed to make back home like this? Was this going to continue during school? Will licked his lips, and kept walking.  
___

Will walked into school, and through the halls that the students made vacant for him. Maybe he'd see Alana today. Yes, Alana would make him feel better — feel stable.

Alana was already walking into Tobias class when she saw Will. "Oh . . . Hi Will! I've never seen you here so late." She turned, "You're usually first in class."

He was late? Will furrowed his brows. "I'm... what time is it?" 

"It's already five after eight," Alana answered.

Will took a deep breath. "O-Oh." He quickly pushed passed her and went inside. All of the students were already in their seat, leaving Will's open. A lump accumulated in his throat. Everyone was staring now, and Will felt his cheeks flush embarrassingly.

Tobias turned. "Ah, Mr. Graham. Take your seat." He turned back to the board and Alana walked on to take a seat in her own desk.

Will couldn't make himself move. He stood still, his eyes wandering around the room and his hands clenched tight around the books he held. Tobias repeated in a hard tone, "Mr. Graham. Take your seat now."

The boy wanted to speak, but he couldn't. Will shook his head and stumbled out of the classroom, dropping all his books. "I-I can't—" he shook his head and ran down the hall. 

"William? William!"

He was already gone.

He didn't stop, he barged through the door and crawled onto one of the bean bags of the counsellor's office. Bedelia jumped up from hearing the door open and went to check.

"William? W-What are you--" he was never in the office this early. "Did something happen?"

"Don't call me William," The boy said as he pulled his knees to chest. He felt so overwhelmed, and he didn't know what to say but what came immediately to mind. "Will, what's wrong?" She kneeled down to his level.

"I-I don't know." He bit down hard on his lip, to the point where his teeth pierced the skin. "I just... I don't know." Will's nails dug into his pants. 

"Will you're just having a panic attack. I can let you stay in here until you calm down, O.K?" Bedelia spoke.

Will nodded and let his eyes squeeze shut. "Thank you." His body felt weak, and shaky, like a leaf in the wind. He had... saw something when he walked into the classroom. Something in all their eyes. Something that wasn't right. Bedelia sighed, "When you're calm enough, could you tell me what happened?"

The boy shook his head. "I-I don't know what's wrong—I don't know why I feel so terrified!"

She spoke carefully, "Will, calm down. Just focus on your breathing."

"I'm not going to calm down!" Will yelled, and froze. He didn't mean to yell. Why was he yelling? It didn't feel like it was his voice. He felt like the words were being choked out of him. "I'm... I'm sorry."

"It's-It's okay, Will. Just take more deep breathes, alright? Can you do that for me?"

Will nodded and let his legs fall back to the ground, his eyes still closed. As he was told, he began to take deep breaths. The air feeling clean and left a burning sensation in his nostrils, like rubbing alcohol. Bedelia sat on the bean bag next to him, waiting for him to speak again, to see if he was feeling better or not.

After a few minutes of that, Will finally opened his eyes. "I don't think I can go back. I'd just get overwhelmed again..."

"Do you want to go home, Will?" She asked. She knew it was a longshot since she knew about his family and their rather dysfunctional relationship.

"No!" He said too quickly. Will swallowed down the lump of fear in his throat and said, more calm, "No. I don't want to go home."

"Well I'm sorry, Will . . . But you can't stay in here all day."

"Could I stay here till my next class?" Will whispered. "I've already embarrassed myself enough in Mr. Budge's class this morning..."

Bedelia nodded. "Alright. Let me just email Mr. Budge that you wont be returning to his class." With that, she rose from the bean bag and walked over to her desk.

"I also... uh," Will licked his abused lips, "Left my books in class, if someone could bring me those..."

Bedelia looked up. "I'll add that in."

A few minutes later Alana had came with all of Will's books in her hands. Of course it was Alana. No one else would even dare to interact with Will Graham.

"These are from Mr. Budge's class." She handed them to Bedelia and smiled gently at Will.

Will didn't smile back, but he met her gaze, though not for long. "Thank you..." he said quietly. Alana nodded and walked out the office back to class.

Will waved off Alana and took his books from the counsellor. "My head hurts," he whispered as he made his way back to the couch. "No, it doesn't hurt. It's more like a..." Will tapped his fingers at his knee as it bounced. "Like an itch. It's bothersome..."

Bedelia spoke up, adjusting some papers, "How long have you had this itching?"

"I don't know. But it's recent." Will looked up at the woman for a split second before biting at his lips. They were chapped, and, out of habit, his teeth began to pull the hard skin off and chewing at it. "Especially at home. It's been worse at home."

"Will, you do know that biting the skin from your lips could be a sign of anxiety disorders, right?"

"I'm quite aware," the boy said, plainly. "I do it more often than not." His legs stilled and he licked the blood from his lip.

Bedelia spoke again "What is it that is 'worse at home' Will?"

Will furrowed his brows. Didn't he not say? She wants me to talk about home. "The itch," he reminded her. "It's worse when I'm at home. Less like an itch and more like... clawing."

"Why do you think it feels like clawing at home? Would it have anything to do with your father?" She pushed.

The boy couldn't stop himself from rolling his eyes. "I'm starting to think that you're more concerned with my father than our sessions," Will remarked, his tone tired, and almost fed up.

"Will, from what you've told me, calling CPS on him may really help you and your brother." Bedelia explained, "But unless something extremely serious happens, then I won't call."

"You don't know anything about my brother," Will spat, pulling his legs up to his chest. "You don't know what's good for him. Taking us out of our home would be the worst you could do."

Change is what Adam was most bothered by. Will knew that. He's know his and Will's home, he knows the schedule, the rules, what chores he does, what time he's does what. Child Protective Services meant that they would pull Adam and Will out of their home, disrupt everything the youngest relied on.

Will shook his head and wrapped his arms around his knees, his hands overlapped on one another and picked at the skin around his nails. 

"Alright, alright, Will. But . . . Do you have any idea why you've started itching in the first place?" It was best for the both of them that she change the subject.

This made Will tense. What could he say? He didn't even understand it himself. "I..." the boy breathed. "No. But since you asked," Will continued. "No, it doesn't have anything to do with my father — matter of fact, it's also worse when he's not home."

"When he's not home?" Bedelia was a bit surprised by this. "Do you think your itch is from anxiety?"

Will was about to shake his head, but he really didn't know. "Some sort, i think... It's almost like that feeling you get when someone is watching you." The boy nodded at that. "Yes, it feels like someone is watching, stalking me. But not just from a distance either. They're..." Will swallowed. "They're right on my back. Like a shadow."

"Will, it's possibly just some form of sleep paralysis and anxiety."

"How?" The boy asked quietly, a desperation in his voice, even if it was faint. "I'm not paranoid or-or dreaming, this is... real." Will turned toward the counsellor, a ghastly sadness looming over his ocean eyes. He spoke again, leniently, "It's real, and my brother can see it."

Bedelia's train of those stopped abruptly. "Your brother, Adam, he can see the exact same apparitions as you?"

Will shook his head and looked away. "He's rather fond of... it. He trusts it. I don't know what it is, but he feels comforted by it." The boy bit the inside of cheek. "I thought nothing of it; It was just an imaginary friend. I saw it as Adam being..." 

Normal, Will had almost finished. But he couldn't. It was almost insulting to even try and categorised his little brother. His only brother, who he loved more than anything. A tear slid involuntarily down Will's cheek, and he quickly wiped it away. 

"Perhaps, Will, you've only fooled yourself into seeing these apparitions, in order to make Adam feel like he's not alone."

"No, no, no—" Will muttered and stood up. He was quiet for a moment as he stared at the floor. "The only thing I've fooled myself into, is thinking that you'd believe me." The boy went to grab his things and stalked out of the room just as the bell for his next class rang.

Bedelia sighed in defeat as Will walked out.  
___

Will walked quickly down the halls, but his body fell like it was being pulled back; so much so that the boy was nearly tumbling to the floor. His chest felt like it was swelling with every step and his eyes watered.

The hall itself expanded: growing wider and longer, all the locker moving away from Will and the ceiling rising rapidly. He need something to hold onto, but then his ears began to ring.

By the time the room stopped spinning, Will was on his hands and knees, all his school supplies littered behind him, and his nails were digging into the tile flooring. He screamed in pain as his nails broke with a subtle click from his finger tips and the links of his spinal cord rattling as he writhed.

There was a clacking sound coming from just ahead of him.

Clack. Clack. Clack.

And it was getting louder.

"What do you want from me?!" Will screamed as he tore his gaze from the blood tricking onto the floor.

But the boy blinked, and he was standing in the middle of the hall. He could see Alana standing in front of him, speaking. Like nothing had happened. 

Alana tapped on Wills shoulder gently. "Will? Will, I asked if you're okay. I-I just saw you standing in the middle of the hallway."

Will looked up at her, his eyes glazed with tears. "Didn't you—?" He tried to ask, but his voice was raspy, like he had been screaming. The boy looked down at his hands as they held his books and bag. His nails were still in place, but they were sore.

The girl spoke softly, in the voice he adored so much, "Will, what happened in Ms. Du Maurier's office?"

He swallowed and adverted his gaze back to Alana. "Nothing." Will took a breath, his body shuddering, and held his books tight. "Nothing happened." He quickly sidestepped, and then walked, away from her, rushing to get to his next class.   
___

It had been quiet all day since Adam's dad had dropped him off at daycare, and had not noticed the large coat he had with him. But it was lunch time, and the teachers let all the students out into the garden while they ate they're snacks.

There was a shadow in the woods where Adam usually sat, on an old stump just a few meters from the playground. The shadow waved at Adam. 

Adam ran up to it happily, instantly recognising the strange figure. "Ni-gel!" He sat by the shadowy entity eating his little snack crackers. "Are you here becuase I brought your coat?"

Nigel nodded and the trees swayed serenely. He made his way to sit just beside the boy, pulling him into his lap. The shadow took hold of some of the animal shaped crackers and began to play with them, creating a scene with the lion and the sheep, like they were friends. 

Adam giggled happily and spoke up now a bit monotone, and his voice slurred — it's always slurred when he was thinking. "Ni-gel, why are the sheep and the lion friends?"

"Lion... likes... the sheep," Nigel answer, his voice like the whistling of the wind that made the tree boughs dance. He handed the sheep to Adam, and kept the lion. "And... the sheep... likes... lion." Adam's smile grew brighter in understanding. "Oh, I get it. You're the lion, and I'm a sheep!"

The shadow nodded and then placed the lion back into Adam's hand. "You're brother... is... scared... of lions," he hummed and the wind grew cold. Adam nodded. "He's only scared now... But I think he'll start liking you and Hannibal soon." 

He turned to face the shadow this time, and his big blue eyes were glittering with wonder. "Nigel, how come you and Mr. Hanni don't talk a lot?"

"We can... talk... but we're... not from... here," Nigel tried to say, but the shadow's voice was jagged and choppy. "Our... voices don't... reach."

He tilted his head. "Where are you from, Ni-gel?"

Nigel shook his head and said again, with a smile on his face, "You'll see... soon." He raises his hand and ran his cold fingers through Adam's soft curls. Adam wasn't sure what he meant by that but he couldn't help but feel the tiniest bit . . . Scared.

The shadow quickly disappeared as the sound of footsteps came close. "Adam, sweetheart," the daycare teacher calls to him. "It's time to come back with the other kids."

Adam looked over his shoulder where Nigel dissolved into his coat and he hugged it close. "Coming!" He hopped off the trunk and walked towards the teacher.  
___

Will had went straight to his room after he got home, knowing that this week was the week that his father goes out of town to work for a couple of days. He saw Adam there. Will sighed, ashamed that he never got home in time to thank his daycare teacher for dropping him off.

"Did you thank Miss Bea for dropping you off?" Will asked tiredly.

"Yes I did." Adam was drawing something, but held his arm out in a way that Will couldn't see what he was drawing.

"What are you doing?" Will had asked, but didn't really looked over, rather, he went to his bed and climbed under his sheets. Adam just mumbled out, "Drawing something."

"Alright, well," Will yawned. "Wake me up at dinner time, alright?" He closed his eyes and exhaustion took him completely. 

Adam spoke up gently, "Okay. I love you, Will." 

The lights began to flicker, and a hushed whisper echoed in the silent room. Nigel slithered out from under Adam's bed and took the boy into his arms as the whole room went black. "Shhh..." he said as he covered Adam's mouth and pointed to where Will laid already in a deep slumber.

Adam was a bit shocked, but slowly his eyes closed and he sunk into sleep aswell.

The room grew extremely cold, and Nigel held the youngest close, wrapping his jacket around him. But then another entity entered the room, the heels of its shoes elegantly clacking, like those of hooves.

Nigel stood and went to place Adam on the bed, soon joining along the other shadow. "What are you going to do?" Nigel asked the other as he looked down at Will with a fond gaze.

"I'm going to show myself to him," A posh voice spoke, and Nigel tensed.

"You've scared him enough," Nigel said, his tone hard. "I know what you did to him, Hannibal. He was at school, for fuck sakes."

"He was scared before then," Hannibal replied as he reached to brush a stray curl from Will's forehead. "I tried to comfort him, but he was thinking of terrible things—"

Nigel pushed his hand away. "You can't prod at him like that, he's not like Adam." Hannibal clenched his jaw as he admired the boy's peaceful expression.

He disappeared with a flicker of the lights. 

Nigel went over to Adam and whispered in his ear, "I'll... wake you... for... dinner." And then he disappeared as well.


	5. Chapter 5

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Hannibal cooks dinner, and Adam loses his old coat.

The smell of food filled the whole house, and the coat was pulled abruptly from on top of Adam, causing him shot up and look around the room; when he found nothing, he walked downstairs to find dinner being made. "Will?"

An entity hovered over the stove top and hummed a soft melody. But the entity wasn't Nigel. Adam shuffled from the edge of the stairs into the kitchen, and spoke puzzled, "Mr. Hannibal?"

He looked over his shoulder and smiled as he spotted the child. "Hello," Hannibal greets. "Are you hungry?" 

Adam nodded slowly. "I-I am." He looked around "Where's Will? And Ni-gel?"

"Will is upstairs... asleep," his voice was much more clearer than Nigel's. There was a ding of a timer and Hannibal pulled back to open up the oven. Adam fidgeted for a moment, his eyes following all of the shadow's movements. Soon, he remember his question. "What about Ni-gel?" He seemed troubled.

"He'll show up..." Hannibal said and placed the baked chicken on the stove top, just beside where the broccoli was steaming. "You want to go get... your brother?"

Adam stayed silent for a moment but finally spoke, "O-O.K, Mr. Hannibal, I'll go get him." He walked back up the stairs, waddled over to the edge of Will's bed, and stood on his tip-toes to shake his brother awake.

Will stirred and opened his eyes to meet Adam's scared ones. "Adam?" He hummed and began to sit up, feeling sluggish. "What's wrong?"

Adam only said, "Come down stairs. Dinner's ready."

"Dinner...?" Will furrowed his brows and climbed hesitantly out of his bed. He took Adam into his arms and made his way to the kitchen. "N-Nigel?" Will called out.

The shifting in the kitchen went silent and Will placed Adam down in the hall. When the older brother walked in, he saw no one, but the broccoli was still steaming. As he walked over, the fire blew out, which caused Will to step back, spooked. 

Adam's voice called out innocently, "Is he still there?"

"No, Nigel isn't here," Will said as he peered over at the freshly cooked meal. It smelled wonderful; it almost made the boy feel sick. The younger brother walked out from behind the entrance and hugged Will, like he needed protection. "Not Ni-gel. It wasHannibal," Adam said.

"Hannibal?" The name dried his mouth. He looked down at Adam and ducked down to meet his eyes. "Do you... still want to eat?" Will asked as he cradled the little boy's face in his cold hands.

Adam looked at the food, and nuzzled against his brother's hand. He was a bit scared, but starved. The boy nodded, "Yeah."

Will kissed the top of his head and lead him to the table. "If you don't like it, just tell me, O.K?" He said quietly. 

"O.K." Adam climbed onto his seat and swung his legs. The food looked yummy.

The brother went around and pulled his chair to sit next to Adam, moving his plate to his new spot. "I'll eat some first," he said and took his utensils in his hands. Will could feel his taste buds spark in a worrying anticipation.

He cut a piece of the breast and brought it to his lips, whilst his eyes screwed shut. When Will began to chew, all the flavour, that was very similar to the normal way he would cook it, but there was something else that was much more inviting.

The boy's eyes opened and he swallowed, going for the broccoli next, which was much juicer and crunchy than Will could make it.

Adam asked after few minutes, "Is it good, Will?"

He paused before looking up at Adam, and nodding. "Yeah, it's good." At the words, Will felt a tug at his stomach, his body begging for more, given that he hadn't eaten all day and was now presented with this delectable meal. Adam held up his own plate. "May I have some, Will?"

He nodded while he took his plate to the stove where he served a single breast and a side of broccoli. Will placed the place in front of Adam and waited for him to taste, an anxiety accumulating in his throat. 

Adam gulped a bit nervously before he started eating. He smiled happily, "It's really good!" 

Will sighed, but tensed again when the lights flickered. There was a small gust of wind that made the string of the light swing, and then something thumped on the ground. Will immediately looked over into the dark hall, and on the floor was a black trench coat. Adam beamed and threw his hands up. "Ni-gel!" He ran over and hugged the coat.

Will made his way to sit and continued to eat his meal. An unsettling presence looked over the whole room, and it didn't feel like anything Will had felt before. But... it was still somehow familiar.

"Adam, please come sit back down and finished your food," the older brother said in a quiet tone, one that sounded like it hurt.

"I'm coming!" He walked back and set the coat on his lap as he resumed eating.

When they finished, Will was quick to set away all the dishes and pack up all the food they didn't eat, which wasn't much, since Adam was very much eager for seconds and then thirds; and then he made his way back to his room.

Adam walked up the stairs with Will, tugging the coat begind him. He looked sleepy.

It was as Will walked into his room when he felt it, coiling at the pit of his stomach and rising sourly up his throat. He stumbled back and pushed passed Adam, nearly knocking the coat from his arms. The boy shoved open the bathroom door and fell to his knees, tears streaming down his cheeks as his dinner came up and emptied into the toilet.

Adam stared as he crossed and saw the bathroom. The coat fell from his hand seeing Will.

"Will . . ." the boy's voice broke as he took slowly steps toward his brother.

Will sobbed as he fell back, covering his face with his shaking hands. "I'm sorry," his voice strained as the only thing that began to rise was stomach acid. "I'm s-sorry, I didn't mean to."

Adam walked closer to him, ignoring the foul smell and hugged him.

"No—" Will tried to push the boy away, but he could only slouch into his little brother. He held him close as he continued to sob, his body shaking violently, and more apologies spilling from lips. Adam just hugged him until he would stop crying, completely forgetting about his dropped coat.

After what seemed like hours, Will stood up, pulling Adam off and placing him just at the edge of the tub while he cleaned himself up. Brushing his teeth and washing him face took a bit longer than usual, and then he waved Adam over to do the same so they could get to bed. Adam walked up, and started brushing his teeth and washing his face before he went to pick up the coat.

Will climbed into his bed and stared up blankly at the ceiling, counting all the water stains he had counted many times before. He was exhausted, but he couldn't get himself to fall asleep.

Adam watched Will and got up from his bed to crawl in with Will, his arms wrapped around Will's skinny frame and he closed his eyes.

The older boy glanced down at Adam, reaching up to run his slender fingers through his soft curls. Though, his attention was soon drawn to where Adam had left his beloved coat on his bed. Or, rather, where it was supposed to be. It wasn't there now.

Will heaved a deep breath before reaching over to pull the string of the lamp, and the room went black. He whispered an I Love You, to Adam, kissed his forehead softly, and relaxed into his bed, holding his brother close.  
___

7:00 a.m — Morning

Will didn't wake up exactly, since he didn't fall asleep in the first place, but his mind did seem to focus as the sun peered through the windows. He looked down at his sleeping brother and smiled a bit, pushing a chocolate lock from his forehead.

He, though, knew he had to wake him up, for Adam would be upset with Will if he didn't let him go to daycare. It was apart of their routine. Will sat up and shook the boy awake. "Adam, wake up."

Adam woke up groggily and rubbed his eyes "Mornin, Will."

"Mornin'," Will said and moved to climb out of the bed, carrying Adam with him. When he got into the hall way he placed him down and told him to got make his breakfast while Will gathered their clothes. Adam nodded, and walked downstairs to start breakfast.

He watched as his brother left and then turned to his room, looking around, spotting every shadow that was casted on the walls, floor, ceiling. "If you're here..." Will began as he stepped leniently into the room, the wood panels creaking under his feet. "Please... leave me alone—us; leave us alone."

Will didn't know how to feel about the silence; it comforted knowing they weren't replying, but it sent a chill down his spine when it became too quiet. No wind outside blew. Will swallowed and went to do as he had said, gathering the clothes.   
___

Adam stood by the kitchen counter pouring a bowl of cereal for himself and Will. He thought he heard the floor boards creaking, and looked up "W-Will? Are you there?"

On cue, the older boy was making his way down the steps. "I'm right here," Will said, holding his and Adam's backpack. He placed them both by the front door before going to join his brother at the table. 

And Adam brought over the bowls of cereal and sat down to eat. Will took his bowl and look down cautiously at the food, not sure if he could stomach it after last night. His hands clenched tight at his utensil and made a decision to at least make the effort to eat. Adam looked at up at his brother. "Will, you're gripping your spoon too hard."

Will's gaze faltered from the cereal and drifted to Adam. "Uh—What?" He questioned. The boy could no longer feel his hand, and dropped his spoon. When he looked over, he could see the blood rushing to colour his white knuckles. "O-oh."

Adam whimpered a bit seeing how white Will's knuckles were, "Are you O.K?"

"I'm fine," Will said quickly and collected his spoon again. "I said I'm fine," he said again and began to eat his cereal, trying hard to swallow it down after every bite. 

Adam watched a bit worried but began eating his own cereal. Will didn't finished before he dropped his spoon into the bowl and covered his face with his hands. "Adam, I'm sorry for not answering truthfully. I'm..." He swallowed down the lump that accumulated in his throat. "I'm just scared."

Adam asked, a little puzzled that his brother lied, but was willing to listen. "What are you scared of Will?"

Will lowered his hands and glanced over to the bathroom before he answered solemnly, "I don't think I can finish my breakfast, Adam, it might make me... puke again." His eyes watered at that and he pushed his bowl of cereal away. Adam took the bowl from Will, "It's O.K, Will." 

He got up and took Will's unfinished bowl to the sink. He watched as his little brother stood on his tip toes to place the bowl onto the counter. Will stood and followed after him, taking the bowl. "I got it, go get dressed." He kissed the top of Adam's head before pushing him toward the bathroom.

Adam nodded and walked away inyo the bathroom to get changed; when he finished, he headed upstairs — his little footsteps patterned loudly — and then he was back down stairs again. "Will? Have you seen Ni-gel?" He couldn't find his coat.

Will looked up from rinsing the bowls and narrowed his eyes. "Um, I didn't see it this morning, I don't know." He wiped his hands on his clothes and went over to the entrance to get his backpack. "It doesn't matter, Adam, come on, I have to take you to the bus stop."

Adam protested. "No! I need to find Ni-gel!" He dissapeared back into his room searching for his beloved coat.

"Adam, you're going to be late!" Will called after him and heaved a big sigh as he followed his brother. "Adam, you're going to be late and it's going to be your fault and then you're going to be upset—" He continued, frustrated. 

Adam snapped, "I don't care!" He rummaged through every surface, his bed, under his pillow, the hallways. Everywhere.

"Yes you do care, Adam!" Will shot back as he grabbed him by his hand. "And if not now, you will later—now come one, you're going to be late for the bus." He pulled Adam out of the hall and pushed him right in front of the door. "Let's go!"

Surprisingly Adam fought back, tears nearly brimming his eyes. "Let go! Let go of me!" He protested.

"Adam!" He yelled, like he had yelled the other day, and his whole face formed a scowl. "Cross your arms over your chest, now!" Adam stopped and did as he was told, still red faced and eyes watering.

Will took several deep breaths, his hands clenching and unclenching at his sides, and calmed. "Why are you acting like this?" He asked, his tone almost broken. "Why do you have to do this? Everything was going fine—you know I hate seeing you like this."

Adam spoke up after a bit, clearly frustrated. "I want Ni-gel. Ni-gel makes me feel better when you're gone." He wiped his eyes with the sleeve of his elbow. "He's my friend, Will."

He crouched onto his knee and sucked in a breath. "I told you I didn't want to here you talk about him anymore..." Will covered his face with his hands. "I don't know what you want me to do, Adam, I don't know where he is. And I don't want to know."

"W-why not?" Adam whined.

"Because look what he's doing to you! You're different!" Will said. He and Adam were so much alike when it came to change, added with how over protective Will was with his little aspie brother. But the more he tried to breathe, the more he felt his body lurch, and Will covered his mouth. This always happened when he was stressed.

He swallowed it down, but he lurched again, his whole body arching forward as half of his breakfast threatened to come up. He swallowed it down, again. And again, and again, until Will and tipped his head back to prevent anything from coming up. Tears slipped down his cheeks as his throat burned. "Adam, please," Will begged after he had calmed, "You h-have to got to school."

Adam could see how badly Will was struggling and finally just gave up on finding Nigel. "O-O.K Will." 

He breathed deeply and tried to steady himself. "Get your..." Will sighed and rubbed a hand over his face. "Get your backpack." 

Adam nodded and put on his backpack one strap at a time. He looked at the ground and squeezed at the straps around his shoulders. "I'm sorry I made you upset, Will."

Will shook his head and pulled the boy to his chest. "I forgive you," he whispered and held him for a moment. 

Adam closed his eyes against Will's chest swallowed down his tears. He could hear the bus coming. "I have to go now, Will."

He nodded and pulled away, fixing the younger boy's hair, then pushed toward the door again. "Have a nice day," Will said and grabbed his own backpack. 

Adam smiled and nodded, "I will." He wandered off and onto the bus. Only when got on the bus did he start crying, fearing he just lost Nigel for good.

The bus assistant had helped calm Adam, making sure to give him one of the weighted blankets. "Would you like me to sit next to you, Adam?" Miss Bea asked.

Adam nodded silently looking down at the blanket. Miss Bea nodded took a seat next to the boy. "Why were you crying, Adam, if I may ask?" She crossed her slim legs and looked down at Adam with a caring gaze. 

Adam wasn't sure how to explain and just said, "My brother was hurting, and it was my fault."

"I'm sorry to hear about that, Adam, I hope he feels better," Miss Bea says as she looked around. "Have you lost your coat, honey? The one you've been walking around with lately?" Adam nodded, and tears threatened to spill again "I-I couldn't find it this morning, that's why I was fighting with Will and he got upset."

Miss Bea felt a tug at her sympathy and sighed. "Oh, I'm also sorry to hear that. I hope you find it soon, I know how much you liked it." She reached over and wiped away his tears with a tissue from her purse, then adjusted the weighted blanket on him. "We're going to be at the daycare soon, I'll let you into my office and let you watch the NASA recordings on my television, O.K?"

Adam brightened up a bit, "R-Really? Thank you, Miss Bea!"

Miss Bea smiled and nodded. "You're welcome, Adam." Adam leaned against Miss Bea, until they got to the daycare.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The next chapter will have some PEDOPHILIA. There are NO SEXUAL INTERACTIONS, but it is IMPLIED. You have been warned.


	6. Chapter 6

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> WARNING: mentions of PEDOPHILA!
> 
> Nigel isn’t pleased with Hannibal’s behaviour towards Will, and goes back to Adam. He’s introduced to Adam’s favourite daycare teacher, Ms. Bea.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> WARNING: mentions of PEDOPHILIA!

Will was late to school, again, but this time, he couldn't seem to care. He felt like crap and his whole body ached with every step; he could feel his tears dry up in his eye lashes, and the boy would reach up and rub them away. His lack of sleep was evident, especially when he emerged Mr. Budge's classroom before he closed the door, and slugged his way to his desk. Will simply dropped his backpack beside his desk and sat down, throwing his head into his arms, wild curls dropping in front of his face. Alana stared worried and tapped on Will. "Will? A-are you O.K?"

He looked up, his blue eyes looking almost dead. Will wanted to say that nothing about him was O.K, that everything that could ever go wrong has or is going to, and that he couldn't wish for anything but to go to sleep; but he would never say that. Will always said that he was fine, or just tired, or fine, or fine. 

He didn't say that either. Instead, he just frowned and spun his head to look away. Alana's face twisted in a sort of anguish from embarrassment, confusion, or both, and just looked back at the board.

Tobias soon spoke in a dismissive unkind tone once he noticed the strange boy's hazy state. "Mr. Graham, go get a drink of water. It could wake you up."

Will had to dig his fingernails into his palm to prevent him from rolling his eyes. Only then did he speak, his voice hoarse from dehydration, stomach acid, and yelling: "No, thank you." The teacher rolled his eyes and turned back to the board with today's lession on black board.

Will had pulled out his notes and his textbook, and followed along with what Mr. Budge was teaching. His hand wrote subconsciously as he began to wander off to the sound of the chalk on the black board. Tap, tap, drag, tap, drag, drag. Will felt the vibrations of his own pencil just under his elbow of that hand that held his chin. There was a hushed voices behind him and the boy looked over his shoulder. The other kids, the ones who always picked at him and made fun of him, seemed in a state of shock when Will eyed them. Some even seemed scared. With furrowed brows, he followed the gaze of one of the students and found himself staring at his pencil: it had been broken in half by the force he applied when writing, over and over again, "Hannibal and Nigel."

Alana stared as well. "Will? Who's Hannibal and Nigel?" She tilted her head to get a better look at Will's ruined journal.

Will abruptly stood up from his desk, some of the other kids gasped, and his eyes went wide as they were glued to the page. His hands shook the more the names echoed in his mind, but then he froze. Completely still. He didn't even blink. "William, sit down." Tobias ordered.

Will didn't listen; but after several moments, his head turned slowly to face Mr. Budge and smile appeared on his chapped lips. He laughed, then. And laughed. And laughed. And laughed till tears spilled from his eyes and he arched forward trying to catch his breath. Tobias stood back a bit and barked, "What are you laughing about William, sit down!"

He stopped and glared at Mr. Budge. "Don't. Call. Me. William," the boy growled and grabbed at his own arms. "And I'm laughing at how shitty everyone of you are, and I hope you all burn in Hell!"

No. Will didn't say that, but he did cease his laughing and just stared blankly at his note book. Hannibal and Nigel. He chuckled and then was blank again. "I'm not laughing, Mr. Budge," Will said as his hand twitched at his side. "What ever do you speak of?" 

Tobias snapped, "William, to the principles office, now! I will not tolerate this outburst in my classroom!" He stabbed a finger at the door.

Tears still streamed down his cheeks as he gathered his things, though he hesitated grabbing his notebook. As Will reached for it, it's fowl words still etched perfectly into the paper, he threw himself back and screamed, along with some other students.

The notebook had set itself aflame; and before it completely disintegrate, Will had ran out of the room, down the hall, out the entrance of the school, never looking back. Tobias went to work grabbing a fire extinguisher and putting out the flames. He took a deep breath in, wondering what the hell just happen, and looked back at the door Will left open.

Will had, after having ran almost all the way home, collapsed onto the ground and his eyes closed as he submitted to the burning of his muscles. A warm embrace held him the moment he entered phase of deep sleep, and rocked him gently in their arms.  
___

The boy was startled awake from the delayed shock that courses through him. His whole body was aching, but the atmosphere was familiar. Will's vision steadied and he found himself staring up at his water stained ceiling.

He gasped and shifted in his bed. He was home. Will's eyes watered fast as he wrapped his arms around himself, remembering that embrace. "Why," he begged as he seemed to sink into his bed, "I said to leave us alone..."

There was a soft clicking of heels and a shadow of a man that was displayed on the wall. He stood out even in the pitch black areas of the room. A hand reached out, Will tried to squirm away, but the fingers reached his temple and Will was asleep again. And that warm embraced returned as Hannibal climbed onto the bed and held the boy.

Nigel glared to Hannibal, but he knew he would never listened. He desperately wanted this boy's attention, his love, his acceptance, just like Nigel had with Adam. But Will wasn't Adam, and yet Hannibal still tried. Alas, Nigel felt a tug within in him, a something had tied itself around his ribs and was pulling from the inside out. He immediately saw Adam sitting at his favourite stump at daycare, crying.

Nigel wanted to stay and try to convince himself that maybe he and Hannibal should've never done this in the first place, but that tug only grew stronger. He couldn't avoid it. It started to grow painful the more he saw Adam crying. "Don't do something stupid," he warned Hannibal and disappeared to get Adam.  
___

Adam covered his eyes, though tears still managed to drip through fingers, not even touching his snack. A shadow slipped through the shade of the trees, stopping only when he was just in front of Adam. He saw that the boy wasn't eating and, before he could think, Nigel walked over to Adam. The boy looked up hearing the crunching of grass, assuming it was Miss Bea, coming to check on him.

But he was wrong, his eyes brightened a bit and he whimpered out, "N-Ni-gel?"

The shadow nodded as he leant down in front of the boy and opened his arms. Nigel could already feel all the happiness Adam was feeling. It was like a breath of fresh air, and he smiled. Adam jumped up and hugged Nigel tightly, burying his face in his coat, ignoring the smokey smell. "I-I missed you," he cried.

He held the boy close as his hand rubbed soothingly at his back. "I know..." the winds whispered. Nigel pulled Adam into his lap and looked backed to his snack. "You're not... eating..."

Adam shook his head. "No, I'm not hungry." He leaned against Nigel. He knew the boy always ate at this time, despite whether he was hungry or not. It was his schedule. "You... have... to..." Nigel grabbed the snack and held it to the boy. 

Adam grabbed it and tore open the plastic packaging. "Okay, Ni-gel." He started eating some if the little cookies that were inside.

All he could do was watch; he was so mesmerised at his instantly Adam was recovered and back to his usual self. Maybe Will was right, he has changed Adam: but was it a good change? Nigel held the boy, still, and let his warmth comfort him. Adam smiled and enjoyed the rest of his snack, before he hold a cookie out to Nigel.

Nigel shook his head, "I... can't... eat..." He allowed the boy to finish his snack before he faded back into his coat form, draping over Adam's shoulders. Adam held the coat close, as he finished his snack.

Miss Bea was soon calling for the boy, "Adam! Snack time is over, did you still want to watch the NASA VHS’s?"

Adam nodded, excitedly, "Yes, Miss Bea!" He got up carrying the empty bag and heavy coat with him back into the daycare. "Ni-gel came back!" He held up his coat to Miss Bea.

"Awesome!" Miss Bea smiled and held his shoulder. "Let's go into my office while the other kids play, yeah?" Adam smiled and walked with her.

She led Adam inside and let him stand near her desk, faced away from Miss Bea. She reached around and locked the door, quietly as she did so, adjusted her skirt and her blouse before going over and sitting on her seat. "What do you want to watch today, Adam?" Miss Bea asked as she took out some VHS's of when she recorded some of the NASA announcements and previews on the television. Adam spoke up, "The Lunar Module!" He looked excited.

She nodded and ciphered through the box, and pulled out a VHS. "This one?" Miss Bea glanced to Adam with a small smile. Adam nodded his head, "Yeah, that one."

"Alright," She inserted the VHS and pulled the boy into her lap so he could see. "Have you read about this one?" Miss Bea whispered as voices from the television. Adam shook his head, "No, not yet." He held the coat close.

She nodded and let her frail arms wrapped around the boy's middle. Miss Bea knew to stay quiet during these times because of how engaged Adam was, but she also knew that he didn't pay attention to the things around him. He was too focused. She adjusted in her seat so Adam sat just between her legs and leant into her chest. Miss Bea bit her lip before leaning forward to press her dainty nose against the boy's soft curls. They were always so soft.

She let her hand travel up the boy's chest, not completely touching, but hovering just there as she canted her hips up; she squeezed her eyes shut as Adam had moved slightly back into between her legs, just to get comfortable, but the friction made the woman hug Adam from behind just to feel it again. "I'm glad you're enjoying this, are you feeling better now that you're watching these videos?" Adam nodded, "I really am, Miss Bea. Thank you for letting me." He smiled up at her and returned to watching the video.

Miss Bea nodded as she leant back again and pulled the boy further onto her lap; the voices were now had mentioned something about Pluto. "Could you tell me some things about Pluto, Adam?" She asked as one of her hands reached up and cupped just under her breast to relive some of the tension in her body before pinching the nipple through her bra; all behind Adam as he watched the program. 

Adam spoke up a bit over the video's volume: "Well, Pluto was discovered in 1930, and is the ninth planet from the sun. It also has 5 moons named Charon, Hydra, Nix, Kerberos, and Styx. Pluto is also one-third water planets and has several mountain ranges," His voice was flat, but it was evident that he was passionate about the topic.

Miss Bea squeezed her breast again and her other hand pressed against the boy's chest. "That's really good, Adam," she breathed, pulling boy closer to her. "Can you see O.K?" It took a moment for Adam to answer since he was so engrossed in the video. "Yes, Miss Bea, I can see fine."

"You've always been my favourite, Adam, did you know that?" She said as she sat up straighter and arched her back as she felt her blood pulse where the boy sat just against her. "You're very smart, and handsome, and have never given me any trouble..."

Adam was caught a bit off guard by the compliments but accepted them anyway. "Oh, Thank you, Miss Bea." He hadn't even noticed he dropped his coat until he looked down and tried grabbing it off the floor.

Miss Bea noticed the boy moving, but she kept him still. "Don't worry, honey," she said politely, "I'll get it for you." The woman shifted and leant over the arm of her chair, grabbing the coat with sweaty palm. Her whole body was hot, especially since Adam had draped the coat over him, which made the area between her thighs extra tense. "Here ya go, honey." She handed the coat back to the boy

Adam hugged the coat tightly going back to watching the video abd spoke quietly to the coat, "Are you watching, Ni-gel?"

There was a slight glitch on the screen, and when it cleared up, the bottom corner of the program read "No." Miss Bea's hand lowered to just below Adam's stomach and rested there as her other hand had risen to her mouth where she inserted a finger to suck slowly; then reached just under her skirt, careful not to move to quickly as to avoid drawing Adam's attention. 

"Oh, O.K, Ni-gel." He pointed at the word on the television. "Ni-gel did that Miss Bea."

Miss Bea paused as she noticed the glitch at the bottom of the screen. Her eyes narrowed. She definitely didn't remember that at the few glances she made at the program. "How strange," she whispered as she glanced down to the coat. She had removed her hands from wherever they were and leaned into the screen. "What else can Nigel do?"

"He talks to me but he's not really good at it, and he draws with me a lot," Adam answered and he turned back to the images on the T.V.

"Does he now?" Miss Bea began to stand, moving Adam off from her lap. "Excuse me, Adam, I'll be right back." She moved into her private bathroom, closed and locked the door. "C'mon, you're making a fool out of yourself," she whispered to herself and busied herself washing her hands.

There was a flicker of the lights just above the woman's head. Miss Bea shut off the sink and looked up suspiciously as she dried her hands. "What the..."

Adam sat patiently, watching the video. He held the coat close again. "Miss Bea is really nice to let me watch these videos, right, Ni-gel?"

Nigel seeped out from the shadows under the desk and stood tall beside Adam. "I don't... like... her." The words appeared on the screen.

Adam frowned and tilted his head. "Why not, Ni-gel?"

He disappeared as the other teacher at the daycare called for all the children. "Story time! C'mon darlings." She knocked at Miss Bea's door. "Beatrice, it's story time."

Miss Bea exited the bathroom and went to open the door. "I'm sorry, I was just in the restroom," she said with a smile and went to turn of her computer. "C'mon Adam."

Adam climbed off the chair and followed Miss Bea out the class, still wondering why Nigel didn't like Miss Bea.


	7. Chapter 7

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Will tells Adam what happened at school...

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I accidentally posted Chapter 7 before Chapter 8, so here‘s Chapter 7, and the last chapter that was written was Chapter 8 - so if there was some confusion between Chapter 6 and “7”, that’s why. My apologies.

3:56 — After Daycare

Will woke to the sound of the bus and he sat up easily. His body, surprisingly, didn't ache anymore, but his stomach grumbled. He stood and made his way downstairs to open the door for Adam. The boy darted in and hugged Will's leg, holding the coat with him. "Hi, Will! Did you have a good day at school?"

Will glanced down at the coat and shoved his brother away. "Get that away from me!" He yelled as he stumbled over his steps trying to get back upstairs. Adam stood shocked and dropped Nigel in the process. He looked up at Will with wide eyes — betrayal. "Will, you p-pushed me!"

Will's heart rate shot through the roof, pounding so loudly against his chest that he couldn't hear Adam at all. He covered his ears and all the lights in the house began to flicker wildly. "Just leave us alone!" He screamed at the ceiling.

Adam grew closer to Will, shaking just as much; he wanted — needed — his brother to apologise. He always apologised. "W-Will?" He tugged at his sleeve.

"Don't touch me!" Will sobbed as he scrambled away from the younger boy. Tears streamed down his cheeks and then the lights ceased their torturous flickering. The whole house was silent for what seemed like hours until the sound of footsteps echoed down the hall. Adam and Will turned to look at the hallway, the source of the steps.

In Will's eyes, he saw a large stag, with jet black hair and sharp antlers that nearly touched the ceiling. He seemed frozen in place as the creature stepped closer: but the closer it came, the more it was revealed that the hair was feathers and the head was a skull formed from smoke.

Hannibal had tried to reach for the boy, speaking as clear and polite as he could, but the only one who saw him for who he was, was Adam. The boy smiled gently, picking up his coat he had abandoned. "Hi Hannibal!"

"Adam, get away from him!" Will barked and pulled himself off the ground, running upstairs.

"Will, he's not gonna hurt you. He just wants you to be his friend," The young boy tried to explain, but he was already gone.

Will had ran into his room and grabbed the switchblade from his bedside drawer. He backed up into the brightest corner of his room as his knuckles grew white at how tight he held his weapon. Adam's footsteps be heard clear as day as the younger boy walked up the stairs, and carefully into their room. "Will? What are you doing?"

Will had pulled his blade close to his chest and more tears seeped from his eyes, down his cheeks, but they burned like acid. "I don't want to be here," he admitted and his body shook the more he cried. "I-I don't think I can take it anymore..."

"W-What are you saying, Will? You're scaring me." Adam quivered a bit.

The oldest boy looked down at the blade and heaved a big sigh. He knew Adam didn't know what he meant, and might never know what he meant, but it was better like that. Will wanted to... so badly. For as long as he could remember, this was something he wanted. "I just—" he sniffled and closed his burning eyes. Will couldn't do this; leave his brother behind with these... monsters, with his dad, but, really, what was the difference. He could never hurt the only person he has ever loved like this.

Adam had tears in his own eyes. He was so confused, and he hated it. "Will, p-please put that knife down, you're scaring me," he repeated.

Will did so, but only after several moments of contemplation. The knife clattered beside him and the boy slumped onto the ground. "I'm sorry," he whimpered and curled up into himself. Adam ran to him and hugged him tightly, "W-Will, d-did you want to hurt yourself with that k-knife?"

"I'm scared," he mewled as he wrapped his arms around Adam. "I-I'm so scared..." Will squeezed his watering eyes shut and quietly sobbed. Adam didn't say anything else, and just held Will tightly, burying his soft curls into his chest.

Will eyes forced themselves shut, even after the many hours of sleep he had gotten already, but he was more than thankful when he dreamed of nothing but the back of his eyes.  
___

The soft click of heels entered the room and Hannibal crouched just by Will's side. Nigel had taken his place just next to the other shadow and offered his arms to the youngest boy. Adam moved and held Nigel close, comforted by the ghastly shadow's presence.

Will was finally sleeping soundly: no tremors caused his body to shake or his features to crinkle. He looked peaceful. Hannibal had a tear streaming down his shadow of a cheek and land onto the wood floor as a snowflake. Nigel could only hold his boy as he looked to his own brother, his eyes speaking vividly: "Don't touch him, he just needs rest."

Hannibal nodded and stood, a moment passing where he was a bit shaky, but soon he left, his footsteps clicking elegantly and the room growing warmer. Nigel looked down to Adam and held him close as so much anger rushed through him. That woman, that god-awful disgrace of a woman, needed to learn not to touch Adam — or any child — like the way she did, ever again.

Adam snuggled against Nigel and whimpered out, "Is Will going to be okay, Ni-gel?"

He didn't know what to say to the boy, so he just let the oldest brother sleep beside them. "I... don't... know," Nigel whispered as the winds picked up outside and grazed the windows. He then spoke of how Hannibal would make dinner for Adam and then he, himself, would help Adam with his bath. Adam nodded, a bit relieved that he wouldn't deviate from his schedule that badly. "O.K, Ni-gel."  
___

Nigel had instructed Adam to keep on a pair of swim trunks while he helped him bathe, and when Nigel would leave, he could clean the rest of himself. He knew better than to expose the boy like that. And with every tentative touch, he could see Miss Bea's filthy hands on Adam. Nigel had to hold himself back from just scrubbing him too hard, as if the harder he scrubbed, maybe it would get out all those perverted handprints the woman left behind.

Adam was just playing around with a squeaky rubber duck before he looked up at Nigel with blue innocent eyes. "Ni-gel, earlier at Daycare, why did you say you don't like Miss Bea?"

The man didn't know what to say: he was much too young to know what Miss Bea was doing, and what it meant her doing it. Nigel furrowed his brows and tried to see what would make the most sense. "She... is... a liar..."

"Really? W-What did she lie about?" The boy never liked it when someone lied to him. He grew tense, and went back to playing with his rubber duck.

"I... can't... tell you..." Nigel whispered as he washed the suds from the boy's body. He then warned how Miss Bea won't be at daycare tomorrow.

Adam looked up from his toys. "How do you know she won't be there Ni-gel?"

The man sighed, "She's... leaving because... she lied... about... you... being her--" Nigel had to swallow down his anger, "Favourite..."

Adam looked a little heart broken, with a small sniffle he once again spoke, "W-Why would she leave becuase of that?"

Nigel pretended to not know, but suggested, perhaps, she didn't want to see him anymore. He reached over, though, and cupped the boy's face. "I'll... always... be here... for you... Adam."

Adam still sniffled, but that wonderful smile came back, nearly blinding Nigel. "Thank you, Ni-gel. I'll always be here for you too, O.K?"

A shiver went down Nigel's spine at that beautifully innocent smile, and he nodded in thanks. Soon, he had stood and made his way to leave, only after telling Adam he could wash the rest of himself, and then he left. Adam went away to washing the rest of his body under his swim shorts, and stayed in the bathroom to dry and clothe himself, and brush his teeth. He soon got out of the bathroom and crawled into his bed.

Nigel had moved just to the side of Adam's bed and draped himself over his small body in his coat form. Hannibal, though, had disappeared for awhile, and Will was still sleeping soundly at the corner of his room, as still and eerily peacefully as a corpse. He would not go to school tomorrow, or the day after that. But on Saturday, when their father came back into town, he would have to go to school every day with bruises from the letters he got in the mail about Will's behaviour.  
___

The Next Morning

Adam finished his breakfast and waited by the door for Will as he saw the bus approaching. Of course, he held Nigels coat, safe and secure as ever.

Will didn't come downstairs, he wasn't even awake anymore. He should've known to wake himself up, at least just to tell his brother that he loved him and for him to have a good day, but he couldn't wake himself up. Not in time, at least.

Adam waited a few minutes for Will, but the bus got too close, and he sighed and stepped out the door to get to the bus as it stopped.

Will could feel blood rushing through his body, made his veins thrum rapidly under his skin, and warm till sweat beaded down the boy's forehead. But he jerked, like how you would when a vehicle came to a sudden halt, and everything grew still. Will opened his eyes and he saw the blurred figure of the front door and the hissing of the bus as it paused in front of his house.

"A-Adam?" He called out as his legs wobbled beneath him; and he grabbed the edge of the stairwell.

Adam had already closed the door behind him and made his way to the bus stops opening doors.

Will shook his head clear and began to stumble to the door, trying to grab the knob. It clicked, and drifted open to reveal Adam to the bus. "Adam!" He called again, louder this time as he held the door frame to keep himself steady.

Adam turned around and smiled a bit, but it faded seeing the terrible condition Will was in. "Will . . . "

Will swallowed thickly and he was able to stand up straight, like a line of thread had stitched through the center of his body, keeping him upright like a puppet. But the boy didn't feel trapped when his legs began to walk toward his brother.

Adam stood there staring towards Will, not completely aware how he was making the bus stall for him.

He made it to Adam and wrapped his arms around him, kissing the top of his head. "Have a good day, O.K?" Will whispered as he crouched down in front of him. Adam smiled brightly hugging Will for a second. "I will, I promise." He stepped onto the bus — "Bye bye, Will!" — and disappeared to find his seat.

Will stood and waved as the bus drove off, his whole being seemed lighter than it was before. But he had no idea how he got down the stairs and to the front door...  
___

Nigel had wrapped the arms of his coat around Adam's shoulders and held him close when the boy took a seat. Miss Bea wasn't there, like Nigel had said. Adam held Nigel close, he now just stared out the window, without Miss Bea to talk to.

Miss Penelope, the other teacher, hadn't known the cause for Miss Bea's absence. She was never late to work, and she never called in sick. Perhaps she moved away to New York like she said she would, Miss Penelope thought to herself as she looked back to where Adam sat with his coat. Adam was the last to step through the door behind the other kids. "Morning miss, Penelope!" He greeted politely.

"Good Morning, Adam," Miss Penelope greeted in return as she exited the bus. "How are you today?"

Adam smiled. "I'm fine, but a little tired." He yawned on cue.

"Well, maybe I'll let you take a nap during playtime: how does that sound?" She smiled, her plump cheeks dotted with freckles curving with her rosy lips. Miss Penelope was much older than Miss Bea, so she reminded all of the kids much like a grandmother or great aunt they never had. "I would like that very much." He held Nigel close and closed his eyes for a minute.

"Alright, well, first let's go get breakfast," she said as she led him and the other kids into the daycare.

Adam smiled gently, "Yes, Miss Penelope."  
___

Will didn't know what to do when he stepped back into the house. He was alone, or rather, was supposed to be alone. Perhaps he could go into town? Maybe get some of his allowance from working with his father to get some of those cherry colas Adam liked so much. Will nodded. He'd do that.

The boy took a shower, brushed his teeth, put on some clean clothes, gathered his money, and headed out of the house after he made sure all the doors and windows were locked before hand. Then, Will nodded and strolled down to the shed to get his old, but still working, bike, hopped on, and rode into town.

When Will arrived, the whole town seemed to be barren. The gears of his bike creaked as he neared the general store. He chained his bike to the rail just outside and headed inside. Will paused as soon as he had gotten inside: Alana Bloom was in the candy isle, about three isles down from where he stood. What is she doing here? He pondered and headed quickly to the back where the ice boxes were. Alana saw him in the distance and waved over, "Will! Hey!"

Will's hands shot up to cover his ears; he took big breaths before he cautiously looked over his shoulder to see Alana walking towards him. She noticed Will's discomfort and spoke quietly as she got closer. "Hi Will, you alright?"

"No," he answered quickly and opened one of the ice boxes to get two cherry colas. "I mean--I am, I just don't want to talk about it."

Alana's smile faltered. "I mean, I think you should, it was pretty scary for all of us. Did . . . Did you set that fire?"

Will paused and let the ice box close by itself, his hands seeming to shake a bit at the mention of what had happened at school. "Uh--" If he were to say no, then he might scare her, but if he said yes, what kind of person would Alana think him to be? "I-I don't know." He settled with, even if it was the worse answer to give.

Alana cocked her brow. "What do you mean you don't know?"

"I mean," Will said, his tone a bit irritated, and repeated: "I don't know." His hands grew cold as they held the sodas. "Well I don't think i have to tell you," Will mumbled as he felt his change biting a hole into his pocket. He just wanted to be left alone today, was that too much to ask?

Alana now glared "Why? Becuase you did set that fire? Becuase that's what you're making it sound like!"

Will frowned and his body tense. "Well if you really want to know--" He stopped as something moved just over Alana's shoulder. It was there, but it wasn't there. Lurking, in daylight. A warning? Will's eyes narrowed. "M-Maybe I didn't."

Alana groaned, "Will, what do you mean maybe? You either did or you didnt!" She was visibly irratated now. Before she spoke up again, "That fire scared me so bad that I stayed home from school today. Will, I don't want to hangout with you anymore, you're clearly as unstable as everyone says you are!"

Will's eyes began to water for a moment before a sudden rage coursed through his veins, making him hot to the touch. "Screw you! If accusing me up until now was just so you could say that, then maybe you should've just said that first! And if I'm so 'unstable' then why bother trying to talk to me at all! Just ditch me, everyone else did." He pushed passed Alana and went up to the cashier, pulling his allowance from his pocket.

When he counted how much he had, Will found that he was ten cents short, so he could only buy one bottle. He shook his head and put down enough for the one cherry cola and left. Alana turned away, giving up completely on Will.

He hoped on his bike and rode back home. His hands gripped tight on the handlebars as his bison blurred with tears. "You don't need them, you don't need them--" Will muttered to himself as he steered with one hand, the other trying to rub the tears from his eyes.

When reached back to grasp the handle, he swerved a bit and, in a split second, Will groaned as gravel dug into his back. "Crap..." he hissed as he began to sit up, his head pounding profusely as he tried to stand. Will looked back to find his bike turned over and a rock just in front of his wheel.

Walking over, Will tried to search for the bottle of cola that was in his basket, but he could only find the bottle shattered a few feet ahead, all the cola spilled onto the gravel. The boy pouted and went over to it, falling to his knees just in front of the bottle he was supposed to gift to his brother. He tried to concentrate on it, as if he stared long enough the pieces would gather back together, and everything would be O.K.

But they didn't, and nothing was O.K: the bottle was still shattered in front of Will and he still had lost a friend. He began to cry, cry more than he had ever cried in his life; in horrible, wretched sobs, the boy's body shook and ached.

Will abandoned the bottle and hoped on his bike again; this time, he drove back to school. He really needed to talk to Miss Du Maurier.  
___

Bedelia was just setting down paper work and organizing her desk when Will came in; He was scratched up and bruised and his face was stained with tears, but that didn't stop him from going to go sit on a bean bag. He pulled his legs up to his chest, with holes into the jeans from when he scraped his knees, and bit at the denim to keep himself from crying more than he already had. The woman was shocked to see him so messed up and dirty "Will, w-what happened?"

"I fell of my bike," Will's voice spoke, but was muffled by how he pressed his face into his knees. Bedelia spoke "Will, can you please look at me?"

The boy sniffled and his eyes drifted up to Miss Du Maurier. "I fell off my bike," he said again, more clear now that his face wasn't buried into his jeans.

Bedelia pitied the boy and grabbed a few tissues for him. "Your teacher said you didn't come to class today."

"I couldn't go," Will said as he took a tissue for once. He wiped his face of the dirt and tears before dusting off all the rocks from his scrapes. "They'll all think I'm a freak... I already lost my only friend because of it."

Bedelia swallowed, and pressed, "Does your father know about the incident?"

Will shook his head. "They've probably already sent a letter," he said quietly, "It's probably in the mailbox." They didn't own a phone, only a radio to the nearest police station in case of emergencies.

Bedelia spoke up, a little hesitant about the next topic, "How do you think he will react when he finds this letter?"

The boy stayed quiet then. He knew his father would return this upcoming Sunday, three days from now. "I..." Will began, but his voice was strained. "I probably won't be at school that week..."

She repeated since Will did not properly answer: "Will, how will your father react?"

"He'll be upset," Will said, looking away from Miss Du Maurier. His hands clenched tight at his jeans; he could feel it already, the bruises and the cuts; he could hear the leather of his belt against his skin, and Adam crying in his room. Will's eyes watered again.

"Will, he'll be more than just upset. I've seen your body language, and the way you speak, the scars and bruises. It's signs of abuse and it's my job to get you and your brother away from that." She started picking up the phone.

Will stood up and begged, "Please don't call CPS--" The tears slid down his cheeks and burned like acid. "You're only making it worse!"

Bedelia looked at him with a stern glare. "Will, if I don't call, you could die at your father's hands and where will that leave Adam?" She called the number and pressed the phone to her ear.

"Please! You can't take Adam out of our home--!" There was a sudden flicker of the lights, and then all the electricity went out. Will froze as a shadow loomed over Miss Du Maurier, but it disappeared as quick as it came. Bedelia looked up at the now darkened room, setting the phone down "What the hell?"

"I-I have to go," Will said and he ran out of the counsellor's office. He stopped and a feeling of dread washed over him as he looked around the hall. All the lights went out. In the whole school. And students were waiting with their teachers in the halls, all staring at Will.

Tobias squinted in the darkness. "W-William?" He stood back a bit in fear.

"I'm sorry," he said before he ran though the crowd of kids and shoved through the doors.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Next chapter (Chapter 8) was the last chapter that was written, I hope you’ve enjoyed this part!


	8. Chapter 8

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Will and Adam’s father comes home...

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This was the last chapter that was written, but I have finished this chapter so that it is as long as all the previous ones. Enjoy!

Adam thanked Miss Penelope for dropping him off and opened the door to his home.

Will had locked himself in the bathroom, climbed into the tub, and rocked back and forth in the cold ceramic floor. His hands tugged at his hair as he whimpered to himself, his lips bruised and bleeding from how much he bit them, and shook his head wildly. "Why are you doing this to me? What did I do to deserve this!" The boy was soon yelling, but kept his head low and continued to rock.

Adam walked up stairs calling: "Will? I'm home! Are you here already?"

He couldn't hear his brother, all he heard was his footsteps -- and they almost seemed to click like polished heels; Will shook his head and screamed, not knowing it was only Adam: "Go away! Go away, I hate you! You ruin everything!"

Adam believed those words were directed at him. He followed the yelling to the closed bathroom door. He tapped at the door, "W-Will? What are you saying?"

Will looked up and climbed out of the tub. "Adam?" He questioned as he moved slowly to the door. While passing the mirror, however, the boy could see the shadow of a man just in the reflection. He stopped and ran up to the mirror, his hands clutching at the side, but there was nothing there. Though, the more he stared, the more his own reflection seemed to alter; he'd blink and Will was normal again.

The mirror was left alone and the door opened to reveal the younger boy there. Will whimpered, crouching down to grasp Adam by his shoulders, and spoke, "I didn't meant it, I'm s-sorry. I wasn't talking t-to you." 

Adam whimpered and turned away, but needed to know what was really going on. He hated being confused. "Were you talking to Hannibal?"

Will bit his lip again, his teeth sinking perfectly where he had pierce them before, and nodded. "Y-yes, I was. He was at my school today..."

Adam spoke up, blinking his small tears away. "Why were you saying mean things to him? He wants to help you Will, like Ni-gel, helped me."

"I don't need his help!" Will said, a little too loud, and his hands shot up to card through his hair. "I don't need anyone's help." He tugged a bit and pulled his brother into his arms. "I have to go, I made dinner."

Will kissed the top of his head before placing him down. "I'll be back before bedtime, I promise." He pushed passed Adam before darting down the stairs and grabbing his packed bags. 

Will had went out to the abandoned lake house, just a few miles through the woods, and settled inside. It had began to rain, a summer rain that would leave the ground muddy and the serpents refreshed. Cicadas ceased their buzzing as the rain fell, pattering against the windows of the house, and Will just looked out onto the lake as he ate the dinner he prepared himself beforehand. Across the lake, he could see another house, just like the one he was in now, come to life: all it's lights switched on, and glowing like a lighthouse. Will had never felt more safe.  
___

Nigel watched as Adam had a quiet fit, his hands tapping at his thighs and his face scrunched up in an uncomfortable expression. "Adam... what's... wrong?" He slurred. 

The boy wiped his nose with his sleeve, but still cried as he spoke, "Will left me!" His lips quivered and he moved to wrap his little arms around Nigel. "And I am confused! Why doesn't he like Hannibal?"

The shadow man sighed and pulled Adam up into his arms. He held him as he made his way up the stairs, speaking: "He... is... scared of... Hannibal." Adam shook his head, and asked why; what had Hannibal ever done? "Will... doesn't want... to... have a... friend... I suppose."

Adam sniffled, his nails digging into Nigel'sshoulders as he placed his wet cheek to the entity's firm shoulder. "I don't want Will to be scared of Hannibal." The air around wasn't as cold as it usually was, and Nigel didn't know whether to be grateful or not. But once he got to the boy's room, and placed him onto his bed, he knew what was more important.

"He'll... understand... soon," the entity assured. He laid the boy onto his bed, draping his coat over him, before offering to get him some food.

Adam shook his head. "No thank you. I'm not hungry right now."

That was the last thing he said for the night, before he drifted off to bed, hugging the coat close, despite its smokey cigarette smell.  
___

Will woke, the air around him muggy and warm; his body ached as he peeled himself from the soggy wood of the lake house floor. He had woken up here many times before, and it always felt the same. It was a place Will depended on; a place where nothing changed. He walked over to the front door, and pushed it open with a heavy shove, gasping at the horizon: the sun was coming up.

His father was on his way home.  
___

Adam was still snug, asleep in bed, only blinking his eyes a few times to see the sun pour through his window.

It wasn't till then he realized he never ate dinner, or took a bath, or even got his pyjamas on. That wasn't normal, and if that's what happened then Will didn't come home either.

Will was running as fast as he could back to his house the branches of the trees seemed to warn him not to leave; holding him back and scratching at his arms. But he needed to get home to Adam. 

Adam got up slowly, tugging his jacket around before he headed downstairs and called out.

"Will? Will, are you here?" He called.

The lights flicked the farther Adam descended. There was the crunching of gravel coming from outside, and then the front door was thrown open. Will dashed to the kitchen, collecting all the plates of food they didn't eat, and washing them clean. His heart was racing and he was practically breathless, but it didn't matter. The house needed to be ready for when his father came home. 

Adam tilted his head and tapped at the back of Will's leg. "Will. Why didn't you come home? We devi—deevi— we messed up our schedule." He explained, still holding the coat close.

"Deviated," Will corrected after he caught his breath and turned around to pull Adam against his chest. "I'm sorry I ran off, but I needed some time for myself — and right now Dad's about to get home, so if you could please help me clean up, I would really appreciate it."

Adam nodded and stood back as he asked, "What do you want me to do, Will?" 

"Start making Dad's breakfast," he spoke and ran down the hall to the man's room to gather his morning clothes and start his bath. 

The little boy nodded; he didn't really pay attention to what his father regularly ate, so he settled with getting a bowl out and a spoon before going towards the pantry yo he the cereal box.

He reached up, a bit pathetically, and was only able to grab a corner of the box before it fell and collided on the floor, spilling out.

Adam yelped in panic before he started hitting at the sides of his head. "Stupid-stupid, clumsy Adam!"

Arms slipped around the boy's middle and pulled him away from the mess. "Don't worry... about it," Hannibal's voice spoke soothingly, "I'll... clean up." he turned to the younger boy and brushed away his angry tears, before suggesting Adam make the oatmeal that was in the lower cupboard instead.

"Thank you, Hannibal." He smiled a bit and he walked over to grab the bag of oatmeal.

He set it down on the counter before getting a pot out and filling it water before he started to boil it then pour the oatmeal in.

Hannibal swept up the cereal and threw it away, soon coming to assist Adam when he boiled the water. "Nigel is... cleaning the den..." 

Eventually Adam set the pot away and poured it carefully into the bowl to set.

Adam called from the kitchen. "Will! I finished the breakfast!"

Will laid the clothes across his father's bed and grabbed his robe from the closet before he ran to the bathroom. He searched through all the cabinets, looking for the right soaps.

Then, he filled the tube with water and soap and made sure he left some towels out for his father after handing his robe. "Okay! Thank you!"

The older brother took a deep breath and looked up into the mirror at the bags under his eyes. He dragged his hand over his face, rubbing the sleep away, before making his way back to the kitchen.

"Adam, C'mere," Will hummed as he took a seat at the kitchen table. 

The boy obeyed; he climbed up onto the chair and sat politely at the table, placing Nigel's coat gently onto his lap, as they waited for father.

Will could hear the gravel on the driveway crunch under the tires of his father's car, and he felt this odd feeling; like he had forgotten something.

What could he forget? He cleaned the house, made his bath, washed his clothes; Adam made his breakfast. Maybe the newspaper? But his father always grabbed it when he came in--

The mail! All the letters that school would've sent about Will's behaviour. The boy shot up from his seat, sending his chair back. He could hear his father opening up the mailbox.

"Will? What's wrong?" Adam saw his brother look terrified this way — dozens of times before — but now he was a bit scared himself since it must've involved their father.

Will's heart was racing again, he was growing dizzy quickly.

The keys jingled, but they stopped when he found the door was already open. The father pushed open the door with the side of his hand and walked in with a confused face.

But then his gaze met Will's and he frowned. "What?" He asked, kicking the door close. The boy swallowed down his fear and bowed his head. "Don't Look at your feet, look at me--what'd you do?"

Will looked back up, right into his father's cold, blue eyes, and spoke hesitantly, "You got some letters in the mail..."

Adam stayed silent as he looked between Will's panicking and scared figure; his father, though stone cold in look, Adam could feel a possible anger bubbling up.

He hugged Nigel's coat to him closer, in a sense of protection.

Their father looked from Will to Adam and then down at mail in his hand. "What am I about to read in these letters, Will?"

"I-I've been having some trouble at school," Will admitted, his palms growing clammy the more he squeezed them into fists.

Adam moved a bit in his chair. Either ready to run to his room and cover his ears; or, better yet, give in to his urge to protect Will from whatever would occur next.

Before Will could say anything else, his father was already tearing open the envelope and scanning over what Miss Bedelia Du Maurier had written. He looked up and beckoned Will over.

"S-Sir, I'm sorry, I--"

"Get over here, Will!" The father barked and he flinched, but, nonetheless, listened to his father. 

Adam got up from the table, backing away for a minute till he hid behind the corner of his chair. He still stayed close enough to watch and make sure that his father didn't do anything worse than yelling.

"Who do you think you are?" The father spoke lowly, "What is going through that head of yours?"

Will's lip quivered and he shook his head, "I didn't mean to cause I scene, Sir, I--"

The father of whipped his hand across the boy's face and yelled, "Don't give me that bullshit, William." His voice echoed throughout the whole house, and practically shook the walls. 

Adam rushed forward and stood infront of Will protectively. "Daddy stop it! Don't hurt Will, please!" He begged and still held Nigel's coat tight, like a security blanket.

"Adam, this is between me and your brother, go up to your room," The father ordered as he pushed passed the younger boy. But Adam wouldn't move, "I said, get upstairs!"

Adam screamed and hit at his dad's leg. "No! I'm not going to leave Will alone! Stop hurting him!"

The man clenched his fists and grabbed Adam by his arm. "You listen to your father when he's talkin to ya!" He shoved Will out of the way and pulled the boy upstairs. Adam screamed and hit at his father's firm grip repeatedly while he dragged him upstairs.

"Don't you dare touch him!" Will bellowed. He raced up the steps, nearly tripping over his clumsy feet, and grabbed at his father's arm.

The man growled and yanked his arm from his oldest son; his hand whipped across his face again, sending Will stumbling down their stairs. It was in a split second that Will's foot scooped under his other, and he was falling back.

The walls around him were slowing retreating away from Will, and his breath was knocked from his chest before he could hit the sharp corners of the steps. Instead, he landed on the hard wood of the upstairs hallway, just in front of his father and Adam. 

The father had been too busy dragging his younger son to his room to notice Will, and his attention was taken ahold of again by Adam when he felt the boy's teeth dig into his hand. "You little shit!" He yelled and tangled his hair into Adam's hair, throwing him into his room. He ran to his door and sobbed, trying to open the door, but to no avail, so he just banged at the door and screamed for Will's name.

"I'll deal with you later!" He threatened and the door slammed shut with a tug of his arm. Will was choking from the impact and was grabbed again before he could catch a breather. "Look what you've made me do to your brother!"

Will gasped and flailed the whole way down the stairs, his arms reaching up and clawing at his father's hands and wrist as he tried to escape his hold on his hair.

"P-Please, I'm sorry--" Will begged, but his pleas were cut short when he was thrown out the front door onto their gravel driveway. "Daddy! Daddy, please don't lock me out again!" The boy cried but the door was slammed shut and locked from the inside. "Daddy!--Daddy, please!"

The father tangled his hands through own hair and shook his head. "You shoulda thought of that before you decided to make a fool of yourself in school!" He yelled and Will crawled to the porch, sobbing. "You wanna fuck up in school and end up like me, huh? You wanna end up like your fucking dead beat father!"

Will shook his head, but he knew the man couldn't see. He placed his hands against the door. "D-Daddy, please," He babbled, his tears and mucus slipping down his cheeks and chin, "Please don't keep me out here..."

Adam managed to open his bedroom door with enough force and run out, down the stairs, all after he heard the front door slam closed.

He slipped passed his father and began hitting at the door again. "Will? Will!"

Will cried out, "Adam! Go back to your room right now!"

The father growled at the sight of his youngest and clenched his fists. "Listen to you brother, Adam. Or you won't get dinner!"

Adam turned around only to glare, tears in his irritated eyes. "No! I hate you! I hate you becuase you keep hurting Will!"  He turned back around easily and kept hitting at the front door and trying to reach for the knob to let Will in.

In that moment, the air grew cold, and the father shivered as he grabbed Adam again, dragging him to the ground and holding him down as he pulled up the boy's shirt.

"You need to learn to grow up!" He yelled. Will pressed his ear to the door and could hear that all too familiar unbuckling of his father's belt.

Will gasped and was kicking at the door as he screamed, "No! Leave him alone! We made a deal!"

Adam struggled against his hand and began hitting at his arm once again. He was sobbing and trying desperately to pull his shirt back down as he watched with fear the belt came off.

As the father folded the belt in his hands, reeling his arm back, all the lights in the house shut off, and the father paused. "What the h--" The belt flew out of the man's hand and he growled.

"Who's in here?!" He yelled. The house was almost completely silent, with the exception of Adam's crying. The father pulled the boy to his feet and stormed down to his room. 

Adam was now softly crying as he still resisted his father's grip while he was distracted, and made it to the end of the hall. He let a small smile grace his face as he pieced together what was going on. "Ni-gel? Ni-gel saved me!"

There was a rumbling of thunder, and the lights began to flicker on again. An entity appear at the doorway of the den, opening up its arms for the boy. Adam beamed and held his arms out as well, "Ni-gel!"

Meanwhile, Will had ran around the house, trying to get to the backdoor. He hit against it till the latch unhooked from the door and darted through the kitchen. "Adam!"

The father let his son take off and got down to his knees to pull a narrow crate from under his bed, unlocking it with the key around his neck.

Nigel smiled and took Adam up into his arms, but enveloped him into his coat as the father held up his gun at the other end of the hall, aiming right at the shadow.

"Get outta my house!" He growled, his finger grabbing the trigger.

"Dad, no--!" Will screamed, running from the kitchen into the hall, in front of Nigel. His eyes were wide and all he could see what the barrel of the gun aiming, now, at him.

A shot fired.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Next chapter may come soon, enjoy the cliffhanger for now! ;))


	9. Chapter 9

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> A death...

Will was shaking, his arms wrapped around his head as his ears rang. He peered through his arms and saw a black entity holding his father in the air by his throat. It was Hannibal. 

Adam looked up, a gentle smile on his face as he whispered. "Hannibal!” He looked over at Will. “See? I told you Hannibal only wanted to help you!”

Hannibal stared deep into the man's eyes, a deadly black against a shocked blue, and held him there even when the human in his fist choked on his lack of breath. Their father still held onto his gun, moving to aim through his struggle.

Will’s face morphed from a state of confusion, to horror, to rage. "Put him down!" The boy nearly tripped over his own feet running to his father. He hit and kicked at Hannibal, "Put him down!"

But the shadow didn't listen, and let Will's father's neck snap in his hand.

Adam held onto Nigel, and flinched ever so slight when he heard a sudden snap and his father hit the ground.

It took a few minutes, and he tilted his head. "Daddy...?”

Will's eyes instantly watered and he slowly moved to kneel beside his father. "D-Daddy?" He whispered. The tears fell right as he touched the man. "No... no, Daddy, please wake up. I promise I'll behave, please wake up--!” 

There was no use: he was gone.

The older boy stood and turned to Hannibal. "How could you do that!" He screamed and began to bang his fists against the entity's chest. He cried and sobbed and begged for Hannibal to bring his father back.

"I... cannot..." The shadow replied.

"Get out!" Will finally barked, stabbing his finger upstairs, referring to the closet from which Nigel's coat first appeared. "Get out!"

Adam walked away from Nigel’s hug and placed his hand gently on Will’s shoulder .

"Will? Why are you making them go away? They helped us."

"He was still our father, Adam! He was all we had!" Will snapped and the house grew cold again. The boy shivered and looked over to Hannibal who stood solemnly beside the other shadow.

Nigel stepped forward and draped his hand over Adam's shoulder. "Come... with... us..." he spoke, and went on about the place he and Hannibal came from; a place where there is always sunny days and starry nights; where the birds sang and crickets thrummed; a safe place, for Adam, and for Will.

"But... only if you want..." Hannibal added quietly, his whispers bouncing off the walls of their broken home.

Adam nodded happily as he climbed onto Nigel’s leg. "Yes! Yes! I wanna see all the stars at night! — Will! C’mon we can leave!”

Will backed away from the three of them and shook his head. "I-... I can't," he whispered. "I can't leave. I belong here." He glanced back down at his father and then to his brother. “I have to take care of everything here...” It’s what he was taught to do. Take care of everything.

Adam teared up a bit, his hold on Nigel loosening, “I wanna go though . . ."

He stepped up to hug Will now. "Can I go, Will? Will you let me?" He asked with a plea.

Will sunk down to Adam's level and slipped his arms his shoulders. The tears welled in his eyes again, but he held them back as he held his brother. If he said yes, he may never see him again; but if he said no, he'd be taken away from Will when they get picked up by CPS.

No one would want to adopt him or Adam. Not after what they have been through, and certainly not after they find out what kind of children they are. They'd be stuck for a long time to come.

Will never wanted that for Adam. He deserved to be happy, and loved. He looked up at Nigel and Hannibal, before he finally nodded. "Yeah... you can go."

Adam smiled silently as he kissed Will gently on the cheek and went back to their warm hug.

"I love you, Will." He sniffled before he pulled away to go back to the two entities.

"I'm gonna miss you so much," Will whimpered and wiped his cheeks, before admitting, "I don't know how I'll make it without you..."

Hannibal stepped forward and crouched in front of Will, his figure becoming more compact, and human like, till a man stood before him, a kind smile on his face; he was no longer a ghastly entity, but a person. "We'll take care of him," his accent spoke, while his black eyes faded to a golden brown.

Will stared in awe and he reached up to touch Hannibal's sharp cheekbone, "Are you going away, too?" He whispered.

Hannibal nodded, but did not forget let Will know that he would be safer now, that he has overcome the most important obstacles in his lifetime. "This was not in vain."

Adam was hugging Nigel’s leg again waving a final goodbye to Will. He then took hold of his shadow friend’s hand and asked softly. “Can we go up to the closet now? So we can go?”

He yawned a bit and rubbed his eyes.

Nigel nodded. His form condensed and became a figure that was very similar to Hannibal, but his hair was more shaggy, and he didn't look as posh; however, both seemed to come from a time long ago. "Yeah, kid, we can go."

Will waved at his brother as Nigel began to lead him up the stairs. Hannibal smiled and reached into the pocket of his tailored jacket, pulling out something wrapped in a handkerchief.

The boy held it tight to his chest as he watched them all walk upstairs, and he couldn't help but follow. 

The closet door seemed to open on its own, the darkness beckoning in the young boy and his friends.

"Are you gonna come back?" Will asked, still hesitant to see his only brother go. "B-Because if you are, I promise I'll wait for you..."

Adam nodded in sync with Nigel, as if they were now, in some mysterious way, connected, “Yes, I’ll come back. Nigel said he’d let me!” 

Will nodded. He said his final goodbyes, but he didn't feel his heart drop like he predicted it would; instead -- as Adam slipped through the dark matter in the back of the closet -- Will felt so relieved: not because he would never see his little brother again, but because he would finally be safe.

And that filled Will with so much hope, he thought it would make him swell and float to the ceiling. " I love you," he said again and his brother was gone. 

Will squinted as the sun poured through the window of his room, as if through the whole event, the world had grown to fit the terror; but now morning had returned, and that terror has died. He stood and wiped his face before glancing down at the object Hannibal had gifted him. The boy was careful as he unfolded the handkerchief, and squinted curiously as he pulled out two rusted insignias, as well as two dog tags.

They read, “Lecter, Nigel I.” And “Lecter, Hannibal;” Followed by some words in a foreign language Will couldn’t read. 

“They were soldiers...” he whispered.

Will stuffed the items in his pockets and slowly made his way downstairs to greet his dead father. He laid with him for awhile, hugging his chest as he cried for no particular reason. The boy rambled about how he forgave the man, even after everything he had done, and about how he helped him grow to love his brother more than anything in the world.

“I’m sorry that mom left us,” Will muttered after a moment of long silence, “I know you loved her. And I’m sorry that I reminded you so much of her that you couldn’t even look at me sometimes; I’m sorry I kept blaming you for her leaving, I know it wasn’t your fault.”

“A-And thank you... for teaching me to think about Adam before anything else. I think I did the right thing. He’s safe now. I hope deep down you’re proud of me...” The boy held his father for almost an hour after, before he stood up and went into the kitchen to grab the radio, contacting the nearest police station.

There was static and then an officer spoke: “How can we help you, Mr. Graham? — over.”

Will swallowed down his anxiety and answered back: “Th-This is, uh, Will Graham, his son — over.”

“How can we help you, kid? — over.”

“My father, he’s... he’s dead.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I hope you’ve enjoyed! Thank you for the kudos and comments!


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